









































Rapunzel. 




Colored Illustrations by John B.Gruelle 
jpen and Ink Sketches by REmmett Owen 


Cupples and Leon Company 

NEW YORK 






Copyright, 1922, by 
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY 


Printed in U.S.A. 


SEP 11 ^ 










0CI.A6S34 5S 
VO | 


CONTENTS 


STORY 

The Goose-Girl . . . ... 

The Little Brother and Sister . 
Hansel and Grethel .... 

° i, if I Could But Shiver! 

TMMLING AND THE THREE FEATHERS 

itle Snow-White .... 
CATHERINE AND FREDERICK . 

The Valiant Little Tailor . 
Little Red-Cap . 

The Golden Goose 
Bearskin . 

Cinderella . 

Faithful John . 

~t)THE Water of Life 
Thumbling . 

Briar Rose . 

The Six Swans . . w w 

Rapunzel 
Mother Holle . 

The Frog Prince 


m 


a. 


i 

9 

17 

26 

38 

44 

52 

61 

72 

76 

80 

87 

94 

104 

112 

119 

123 

129 

134 

.138 


IV 


CONTENTS 


STORY PAGE 

The Travels of Tom Thumb 143 

Snow-White and Rose-Red 150 

The Three Little Men in the Wood 159 

Rumpelstiltskin 166 

Little One-Eye, Two-Eyes and Three-Eyes 170 



THE GOOSE-GIRL' 


A N old queen, whose husband had been dead some years, 
had a beautiful daughter. When she grew up, she was 
betrothed to a prince who lived a great way off; and as 
the time drew near for her to be married, she got ready to set off 
on her journey to his country. Then the queen, her mother, 
packed up a great many costly things — jewels, and gold, and sil- 
ver, trinkets, fine dresses, and in short, everything that became a 
royal bride; for she loved her child very dearly; and she gave 
her a waiting-maid to ride with her, and give her into the bride- 
groom’s hands; and each had a horse for the journey. Now 
the princess’ horse was called Falada, and could speak. 

When the time came for them to set out, the old queen went 
into her bed-chamber, and took a little knife, and cut off a lock 
of her hair, and gave it to her daughter, saying, “Take care of 
it, dear child; for it is a charm that may be of use to you on the 

1 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


road.” Then they took a sorrowful leave of each other, and the 
princess put the lock of her mother’s hair into her bosom, got 
upon her horse, and set off on her journey to her bridegroom’s 
kingdom. 

One day, as they were riding along by the side of a brook, 
the princess began to feel very thirsty, and said to her maid, 
“Pray get down and fetch me some water in my golden cup out 
of yonder brook, for I want to drink.” “Nay,” said the maid, 
“if you are thirsty, get down yourself, and lie down by the water 
and drink; I shall not be your waiting-maid any longer.” The 
princess was so thirsty that she got down, and knelt over the lit- 
tle brook and drank, for she was frightened, and dared not bring 
out her golden cup ; and then she wept, and said,. “Alas ! what 
will become of me?” And the lock of hair answered her, and 
said — 

“Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, 

Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it.” 

But the princess was very humble and meek, so she said nothing 
to her maid’s ill behavior, but got upon her horse again. 

Then all rode further on their journey, till the day grew so 
warm, and the sun so scorching, that the bride began to feel very 
thirsty again ; and at last, when they came to a river, she forgot 
her maid’s rude speech, and said, “Pray get down and fetch me 
some water to drink in my golden cup.” But the maid answered 
her, and even spoke more haughtily than before, “Drink if you 
will, but I shall not be your waiting-maid.” Then the princess 
was so thirsty that she got off her horse and lay down, and held 
her head over the running stream, and cried, and said, “What 
will become of me?” And the lock of hair answered her again — 

“Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, 

Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it.” 

2 


THE GOOSE-GIRL 

And as she leaned down to drink, the lock of hair fell from 
her bosom and floated away with the water,, without her seeing 
it, she was so much frightened. But her maid saw it, and was 
very glad, for she knew the charm, and saw that the poor bride 
would be in her power now that she had lost the hair. So when 
the bride had finished drinking, and would have got upon Fa- 
lada again, the maid said, “I shall ride upon Falada, and you 
may have my horse instead;” so she was forced to give up her 
horse, and soon afterwards to take off her royal clothes, and 
put on her maid’s shabby ones. 

At last, as they drew near the end of the journey, this treach- 
erous servant threatened to kill her mistress if she ever told any- 
one what had happened. But Falada saw it all, and marked it 
well. Then the waiting-maid got upon Falada, and the real bride 
was set upon the other horse, and they went on in this way till 
at last they came to the royal court. There was great joy at their 
coming, and the prince hurried to meet them, and lifted the 
maid from her horse, thinking she was the one who was to be 
his wife; and she was led upstairs to the royal chamber, but the 
true princess was told to stay in the court below. 

However, the old king happened to be looking out of the 
window, and saw her in the yard below ; and as she looked very 
pretty, and too delicate for a waiting-maid, he went into the royal 
chamber to ask the bride whom it was she had brought with 
her, that was thus left standing in the court below. “I brought 
her with me for the sake of her company on the road,” said she. 
“Pray give the girl some work to do, that she may not be idle.” 
The old king could not for some time think of any work for her, 
but at last he said, “I have a lad who takes care of my geese; 
she may go and help him.” Now the name of this lad, that the 
real bride was to help in watching the king’s geese, was Curdken. 

Soon after, the false bride said to the prince, “Dear hus- 
3 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

band, pray do me one piece of kindness.” “That I will,” said 
the prince. “Then tell one of your slaughterers to cut off the 
head of the horse I rode upon, for it was very unruly, and 
plagued me sadly on the road.” But the truth was, she was 
very much afraid lest Falada should speak, and tell all she had 
done to the princess. She carried her point, and the faithful 
Falada was killed; but when the true princess heard of it she 
wept, and begged the man to nail up Falada’s head against a 
large dark gate in the city through which she had to pass every 
morning and evening, that there she might still see him some- 
times. Then the slaughterer said he would do as she wished, so 
he cut oh the head and nailed it fast under the dark gate. 

Early the next morning, as the princess and Curdken went 
out through the gate, she said sorrowfully — 

“Falada, Falada, there thou art hanging!” 
and the head answered — 

“Bride, bride, there thou are ganging! 

Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, 

Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it.” 

Then they went out of the city, driving the geese. And 
when they came to the meadow, the princess sat down upon a 
bank there and let down her waving locks of hair, which were 
all of pure gold; and when Curdken saw it glitter in the sun, 
he ran up, and would have pulled some of the locks out; but 
she cried — 


“Blow, breezes, blow! 
Let Curdken’s hat go! 
Blow breezes, blow! 
Let him after it go! 

4 


THE GOOSE-GIRL' 



O’er hills, dales, and rocks, 

(Away be it whirl’d, 

(Till the golden locks 
!Are all comb’d and curl’d 1” 

Then there came a wind, so strong that it blew off Curdken’s 
hat, and away it flew over the hills, and he after it; till, by the 
time he came back, she had done combing and curling her 
hair, and put it up again safely. Then he was very angry and 
sulky, and would not speak to her at all; but they watched the 
geese until it grew dark in the evening, and then drove them 
homewards. 

The next morning, as they were going through the dark 
gate, the poor girl looked up at Falada’s head, and cried — 

“Falada, Falada, there thou art hanging I” 


and it answered — 


5 



GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

“Bride, bride, there thou are ganging! 

Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, 

Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it.” 

Then she drove on the geese and sat down again in the meadow, 
and began to comb out her hair as before, and Curdken ran up 
tQ her, and wanted to take of it; but she cried out quickly — 

“Blow, breezes, blow! 

Let Curdken’s hat go! 

Blow breezes, blow! 

Let him after it go! 

O’er hills, dales, and rocks, 

Away be it whirl’d, 

Till the golden locks 
Are all comb’d and curl’d!” 

Then the wind came and blew off his hat, and off it flew a 
great distance over the hills and far away, so that he had to run 
after it: and when he came back, she had done up her hair 
again, and all was safe. So they watched the geese till it grew 
dark. 

In the evening, after they came home, Curdken went to 
the old king, and said, “I cannot have that strange girl to help 
me to keep the geese any longer.” 

“Why?” inquired the king. 

“Because she does nothing but tease me all day long.” 

Then the king made him tell him all that had passed. 

And Curdken said, “When we go in the morning through 
the dark gate with our flock of geese, she weeps, and talks with 
the head of a horse that hangs upon the wall, and says — 

“Falada, Falada, there thou art hanging!” 
and the head answers — 


THE GOOSE-GIRL 


“Bride, bride, there thou are ganging! 

■Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, 

Sadly, sadly her heart would rue it.” 

And Curdken went on telling the king what had happened upon 
the meadow where the geese fed; and how his hat was blown 
away, and he was forced to run after it, and leave his flock. But 
the old king told him to go out again as usual the next day: 
and when morning came, he placed himself behind the dark gate, 
and heard how the princess spoke, and how Falada answered; 
and then he went into the field and hid himself in a bush by 
the meadow’s side, and soon saw with his own eyes how they 
drove the flock of geese, and how, after a little time, she let 
down her hair that glittered in the sun; and then he heard 
her say — 

“Blow, Breezes, blow! 

Let Curdken’s hat go! 

Blow breezes, blow ! 

Let him after it go! 

O’er hills, dales, and rocks, 

'Away be it whirl’d, 

Till the golden locks 
Are all comb’d and curl’d!” 

And soon came a gale of wind, and carried away Curdken’s hat, 
while the girl went on combing and curling her hair. 

All this the old king saw; so he went home without being 
seen ; and when the goose-girl came back in the evening, he called 
her aside, and asked her why she did so; but she burst into tears, 
and said, “That I must not tell you or any man, or I shall lose 
my life.” 

But the old king begged so hard that she had no peace till 
she had told him all, word for word : and it was very lucky for 

7 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


her that she did so, for the king ordered royal clothes to be put 
upon her, and he gazed with wonder, she was so beautiful. 

Then he called his son, and told him that he had only the 
false bride, for that she was merely a waiting-maid, while the true 
one stood by. 

And the young king rejoiced when he saw her beauty, and 
heard how meek and patient she had been; and without saying 
anything, he ordered a great feast to be prepared for all his 
court. 

The bridegroom sat at the top, with the false princess on one 
side, and the true one on the other; but nobody knew her, for 
she was quite dazzling to their eyes, and was not at all like the 
little goose-girl, now that she had on her brilliant dress. 

JYhen they had eaten and drunk, and were very merry, the 
old king told all the story, as one that he had once heard of, 
and asked the true waiting-maid what she thought ought to be 
done to anyone who would behave thus. 

“Nothing better,” said this false bride, “than that she should 
be thrown into a cask stuck around with sharp nails, and that 
two white horses should be put to it, and should drag it from 
street to street till she is dead.” 

“Thou art she!” said the old king; “and since thou hast 
judged thyself, it shall be so done to thee.” 

Then the young king was married to his true wife, and they 
reigned over the kingdom in peace and happiness all their lives. 



8 




THE LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER 



[HERE was once a little brother who took his Sister by 


the hand, and said, “Since our own dear mother’s death 


we have not had one happy hour; our stepmother beats us 
every day, and, when we come near her, kicks us away with her 
foot. Come, let us wander forth into the wide world.” So all day 
long they travelled over meadows, fields, and stony roads. By the 
evening they came into a large forest, and laid themselves down 
in a hollow tree, and went to sleep. When they awoke the next 
morning, the sun had already risen high in the heavens, and its 
beams made the tree so hot that the little boy said to his sister, 
“I am so very thirsty, that if I knew where there was a brook, I 
would go and drink. Ah! I think I hear one running;” and so 
saying, he got up, and taking his Sister’s hand they went to look 
for the brook. 

The wicked stepmother, however, was a witch, and had wit- 
nessed the departure of the two children: so, sneaking after them 
secretly, as is the habit of witches, she had enchanted all the 
springs in the forest. 

Presently they found a brook, which ran trippingly over 
the pebbles, and the Brother would have drunk out of it, but the 
Sister heard how it said as it ran along, “Wbo drinks of me will 
become a tiger!” So the Sister exclaimed, “I pray you, Brother, 
drink not, or you will become a tiger, and tear me to pieces !” 
So the Brother did not drink, although his thirst was very great, 
and he said, “I will wait till the next brook.” As they came to 
the second, the Sister heard it say, “Who drinks of me becomes 
a wolf!” The Sister ran up crying, “Brother, do not, pray do 
not drink, or you will become a wolf and eat me up!” Then 


9 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

the Brother did not drink, saying, “I will wait until we come 
to the next spring, but then I must drink, you may say what you 
will; my thirst is much too great.” Just as they reached the 
third brook, the Sister heard the voice saying, “Who drinks of 
me will become a fawn — who drinks of me will become a fawn!” 
So the Sister said, “Oh, my Brother! do not drink, or you will 
be changed into a fawn, and run away from me!” But he had 
already kneeled down, and he drank of the water, and, as the first 
drops passed his lips, his shape took that of a fawn. 

At first the Sister wept over her little, changed Brother, and 
he wept too, and knelt by her, very sorrowful; but at last the 
maiden said, “Be still, dear little fawn, and I will never forsake 
you!” and, taking off her golden garter, she placed it around 
his neck, and, weaving rushes, made a girdle to lead him with. 
This she tied to him, and taking the other end in her hand, she 
led him away, and they travelled deeper and deeper into the for- 
est. After they had gone a long distance they came to a little 
hut, and the maiden, peeping in, found it empty, and thought, 
“Here we can stay and dwell.” Then she looked for leaves and 
moss to make a soft couch for the Fawn, and every morning she 
went out and collected roots and berries and nuts for herself, 
and tender grass for the Fawn. In the evening when the Sister 
was tired, and had said her prayers, she laid her head upon the 
back of the Fawn, which served for a pillow, on which she slept 
soundly. Had but the Brother regained his own proper form, 
their lives would have been happy indeed. 

Thus they dwelt in this wilderness, and some time had 
elapsed when it happened that the King of the country had a 
great hunt in the forest; and now sounded through the trees the 
blowing of horns, the barking of dogs, and the lusty cry of the 
hunters, so that the little Fawn heard them, and wanted very 
much to join in. “Ah!” said he to his Sister, “let me go to the 

10 


THE LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER 



hunt, I cannot 
restrain myself 
any longer;” 
and he begged so hard 
that at last she con- 
sented. “But,” she told him, 

“return again in the evening, 
for I shall shut my door 
against the wild huntsmen, 
and, that I may know you, 
do you knock, and say, ‘Sister, dear, 
let me in/ and if you do not speak 
I shall not open the door.” 

As soon as she had said this, the little Fawn sprang off 
quite glad and merry in the fresh breeze. The King and his 
huntsmen perceived the beautiful animal, and pursued him; but 
they could not catch him, and when they thought they certainly 
had him, he sprang away over the bushes, and got out of sight. 
Just as it was getting dark, he ran up to the hut, and, knock- 
ing, said, “Sister mine, let me in.” Then she unfastened the 
little door, and he went in, and rested all night long upon his soft 
couch. The next morning the hunt was commenced again, and 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

as soon as the little Fawn heard the horns and the tally-ho of the 
sportsmen he could not rest, and said, “Sister, dear, open the 
door; I must be off.” The Sister opened it, saying, “Return at 
evening, mind, and say the words as before.” When the King 
and his huntsmen saw him again, the Fawn with the golden 
necklace, they followed him, close, but he was too nimble and 
quick for them. The whole day long they kept up with him, but 
towards evening the huntsmen made a circle around him, and 
one wounded him slightly in the hinder foot, so that he could 
run but slowly. Then one of them slipped after him to the lit- 
tle hut, and heard him say, “Sister, dear, open the door,” and 
saw that the door was opened and immediately shut behind him. 
The huntsman, having observed all this, went and told the King 
what he had seen and heard, and he said, “On the morrow I 
will pursue him once again.” 

The Sister, however, was terribly afraid when she saw that 
her Fawn was wounded, and, washing off the blood, she put 
herbs upon the foot, and said, “Go and rest upon your bed, dear 
Fawn, that your wound may heal.” It was so slight, that the 
next morning he felt nothing of it, and when he heard the hunt- 
ing cries outside, he exclaimed, “I cannot stop away — I must 
be there, and none shall catch me so easily again!” The Sister 
wept very much and told him, “Soon will they kill you, and I 
shall be here alone in this forest, forsaken by all the world: 
I cannot let you go.” 

“I shall die here in vexation,” answered the Fawn, “if you 
do not, for when I hear the horn, I think I shall jump out of 
my skin.” The Sister, finding she could not prevent him, opened 
the door, with a heavy heart, and the Fawn jumped out, quite 
delighted, into the forest. As soon as the King perceived him, 
he said to his huntsmen, “Follow him all day long till the eve- 
ning, but let no one do him any harm.” Then when the sun 


THE LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER 

had set, the King asked his huntsman to show him the hut; and 
as they came to it he knocked at the door and said, “Let me in, 
dear Sister.” Upon this the door opened, and, stepping in, the 
King saw a maiden more beautiful than he had ever beheld 
before. She was frightened when she saw not her Fawn, but a 
man enter, who had a golden crown upon his head. But the 
King, looking at her with a kindly glance, held out to her his 
hand, saying, “Will you go with me to my castle, and be my 
dear wife?” “Oh, yes,” replied the maiden; “but the Fawn must 
go too: him I will never forsake.” The King replied, “He shall 
remain with you as long as you live, and shall never want.” 

The King took the beautiful maiden upon his horse, and 
rode to his castle, where the wedding was celebrated with great 
splendor and she became Queen, and they lived together a long 
time; while the Fawn was taken care of and played about the 
castle garden. 

The wicked stepmother, however, on whose account the 
children had wandered forth into the world, had supposed that 
long ago the Sister had been torn into pieces by the wild beasts, 
and the little Brother in his Fawn’s shape hunted to death by 
the hunters. As soon, therefore, as she heard how happy they 
had become, and how everything prospered with them, envy and 
jealousy were aroused in her wicked heart, and left her no peace ; 
and she was always thinking in what way she could bring mis- 
fortune upon them. 

Her own daughter, who was as ugly as night, and had but 
one eye, for which she was continually reproached, said, “The 
luck of being a Queen has never happened to me.” “Be quiet, 
now,” replied the old woman, “and make yourself contented: 
when the time comes I will help and assist you.” As soon, then, 
as the time came when the Queen gave birth to a beautiful little 
boy, which happened when the King was out hunting, the old 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


witch took the form of a chambermaid, and got into the room 
where the Queen was lying, and said to her, “The bath is ready, 
which will restore you and give you fresh strength; be quick 
before it gets cold.” Her daughter being at hand, they carried 
the weak Queen between them into the room, and laid her in the 
bath, and then, shutting the door, they ran off; but first they made 



up an immense fire in the stove, which must soon suffocate the 
poor young Queen. 

When this was done, the old woman took her* daughter, and, 
putting a cap upon her head, laid her in the bed in the Queen’s 
place. She gave her, too, the form and appearance of the real 
Queen, as far as she was able ; but she could not restore the lost 
eye, and, so that the King might not notice it, she turned her 
upon that side where there was no eye. 

When midnight came, and every one was asleep, the nurse, 
who sat by herself ? wide awake, near the cradle, in the nursery, 

14 


THE LITTLE BROTHER AND SISTER 

saw the door open and the true Queen come in. She took the 
child in her arms, and rocked it a while, and then, shaking up 
its pillow, laid it down in its cradle, and covered it over again. 
She did not forget the Fawn, either, but going to the corner 
where he was, stroked his head, and then went silently out of 
the door. The nurse asked in the morning of the guards if any 
one had passed into the castle during the night ; but they answered, 
“No, we have not seen anybody.’' For many nights afterwards 
she came constantly, but never spoke a word; and the nurse saw 
her always, but she would not trust herself to speak about it to 
any one. 

When some time had passed away, the Queen one night 
began to speak, and said — 

“How fares my child ! how fares my fawn? 

Twice more will I come, but never again.” 

The nurse made no reply; but, when she had disappeared, 
went to the King, and told him. The King exclaimed, “Oh, 
mercy! what does this mean? — the next night I will watch myself 
by the child.” So in the evening he went into the nursery, and 
about midnight the Queen appeared, and said — 

“How fares my child 1 how fares my fawn? 

Once more will I come, but never again.” 

And she nursed the child, as she usually did, and then disap- 
peared. The King dared not speak; but he watched the follow- 
ing night, and this time she said — 

“How fares my child ! how fares my fawn? 

This time have I come, but never again.” 

At these words the King could hold back no longer, but, 
springing up, cried, “You can be no other than my dear wife!” 

15 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

Then she answered, “Yes, I am your dear wife;” and at that 
moment her life was restored by God’s mercy, and she was again 
as beautiful and charming as ever. She told the King the fraud 
which the witch and her daughter had practised upon him, and 
he had them both tried, and sentence was pronounced against 
them. The little Fawn was disenchanted, and received once 
more his human form; and the Brother and Sister lived happily 
together to the end of their days. 



16 


HANSEL AND GRETHEL 


O NCE upon a time there dwelt near a large wood a poor 
woodcutter, with his wife and two children by his former 
marriage, a little boy called Hansel, and a girl named 
GretheL He had little enough to break or bite; and once, 
when there was a great famine in the l$nd, he could not pro- 
cure even his daily bread; and as he lay thinking in his bed one 
evening, rolling about for trouble, he sighed, and said to his 
wife, “What will become of us? How can we feed our chil- 
dren, when we have no more than we can eat ourselves?” 

“Know, then, my husband,” answered she, “we will lead 
them away, quite early in the morning, into the thickest part of 
the wood, and there make them a fire, and give them each a 
little piece of bread; then we will go to our work, and leave 
them alone, so they will not find the way home again, and we 
shall be freed from them.” “No, wife,” replied he, “that I can 
never do. How can you bring your heart to leave my chil- 
dren all alone in the wood, for the wild beasts will soon come 
and tear them to pieces?” 

“Oh, you simpleton!” said she, “then we must all four die 
of hunger; you had better plane the coffins for us.” But she 
left him no peace till he consented, saying, “Ah, but I shall 
regret the poor children.” 

The two children, however, had not gone to sleep for very 
hunger, and so they overheard what the stepmother said to their 
father. Grethel wept bitterly, and said to Hansel, “What will 
become of us?” “Be quiet, Grethel,” said he; “do not cry — 
I will soon help you.” And as soon as their parents had fallen 
asleep, he got up, put on his coat, and, unbarring the back 
door, slipped out. The moon shone brilliantly, and the white 

17 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


pebbles which lay before the door seemed like silver pieces, they 
glittered so brightly. Hansel stooped down, and put as many 
into his pocket as it would hold; and then going back, he said 
to Grethel, “Be comforted, dear sister, and sleep in peace; God 
will not forsake us.” And so saying, he went to bed again. 

The next morning, before the sun arose, the wife went and 
awoke the two children. “Get up, you lazy things; we are go- 
ing into the forest to chop wood.” Then she gave them each 
a piece of bread, saying, “There is something for your dinner; 
do not eat it before the time, for you will get nothing else.” 
Grethel took the bread in her apron, for Hansel’s pocket was 
full of pebbles; and so they all set out upon their way. When 
they had gone a little distance, Hansel stood still, and peeped 
back at the house; and this he repeated several times, till his 
father Said, “Hansel, what are you peeping at, and why do you 
lag behind? Take care, and remember your legs.” 

“Ah, father,” said Hansel, “I am looking at my white cat 
sitting upon the roof of the house, and trying to say good-bye.” 
“You simpleton!” said the wife, “that is not a cat; it is only the 
sun shining on the white chimney.” But in reality Hansel was 
not looking at a cat; but every time he stopped, he dropped a 
pebble out of his pocket upon the path. 

When they came to the middle of the forest, the father told 
the children to collect wood, and he would make them a fire, 
so that they should not be cold. So Hansel and Grethel gathered 
together quite a little mountain of twigs. Then they set fire to 
them; and as the flame burnt up high, the wife said, “Now, you 
children, lie down near the fire, and rest yourselves, while we 
go into the forest and chop wood; when we are ready, I will 
come and call you.” 

Hansel and Grethel sat down by the fire, and when it was 
noon, each ate the piece of bread; and because they could hear 

18 


HANSEL AND GRETHEL 

the blows of an axe, they thought their father was near: but 
it was not an axe, but a branch which he had bound to a with- 
ered tree, so as to be blown to and fro by the wind. They 
waited so long that at last their eyes closed from weariness, and 
they fell fast asleep. When they awoke, it was quite dark, and 
Grethel began to cry, “How shall we get out of the wood?” 
But Hansel tried to comfort her by saying, “Wait a little while 
till the moon rises, and then we will quickly find the way.” The 
moon soon shone forth, and Hansel, taking his sister’s hand, fol- 
lowed the pebbles, which glittered like new-coined silver pieces, 
and showed them the path. All 
night long they walked on, and 
as day broke they came to their 
father’s house. They knocked 
at the door, and when the wife 
opened it, and saw Hansel and 
Grethel, she exclaimed, “You 
wicked children! why did you At 
sleep so long in the wood? 

We thought you were 



19 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


never coming home again.” But their father was very glad, for, 
it had grieved his heart to leave them all alone. 

Not long afterward there was again great scarcity in every 
corner of the land; and one night the children overheard their 
stepmother saying to their father, “Everything is again con- 
sumed; we have only half a loaf left, and then the song is 
ended: the children must be sent away. We will take them deeper 
into the wood, so that they may not find the way out again; it 
is the only means of escape for us.” 

But her husband felt heavy at heart, and thought, “It were 
better to share the last crust with the children.” His wife, 
however, would listen to nothing that he said, and scolded and 
reproached him without end. 

He who says A must say B too; and he who consents the 
first time must also the second. 

The children, however, had heard the conversation as they 
lay awake, and as soon as the old people went to sleep Hansel 
got up, intending to pick up some pebbles as before; but the 
wife had locked the door, so that he could not get out. Never- . 
theless, he comforted Grethel, saying, “Do not cry; sleep in I 
quiet; the good God will not forsake us.” 

Early in the morning the stepmother came and pulled them j 
out of bed, and gave them each a slice of bread, which was still ' 
smaller than the former piece. On the way, Hansel broke his in | 
his pocket, and, stooping every now and then, dropped a crumb 
upon the path. “Hansel, why do you stop and look about?” 
said the father; “keep in the path.” “I am looking at my lit- 
tle dove,” answered Hansel, “nodding a good-bye to me.” “Sim- j 
pleton !” said the wife, “that is no dove, but only the sun shining i 
on the chimney.” But Hansel still kept dropping crumbs as he 
went along. 

The mother led the children deep into the wood, where 
20 


HANSEL AND GRETHEL 


they had never been before, and there making an immense fire, 
she said to them, “Sit down here and rest, and when you feel 
tired you can sleep for a little while. We are going into the 
forest to hew wood, and in the evening, when we are ready, we 
will come and fetch you.” 

When noon came Grethel shared her bread with Hansel, 
who had strewn his on the path. Then they went to sleep ; but 
the evening arrived and no one came to visit the poor children, 
and in the dark night they awoke, and Hansel comforted his 
sister by saying, “Only wait, Grethel, till the moon comes out, 
then we shall see the crumbs of bread which I have dropped, 
and they will show* us the way home.” The moon shone and 
they got up, but they could not see any crumbs, for the thou- 
sands of birds which had been flying about in the woods and 
fields had picked them all up. Hansel kept saying to Grethel, 
“We will soon find the way”; but they did not, and they walked 
the whole night long and the next day, but still they did not 
come out of the wood; and they got so hungry, for they had 
nothing to eat but the berries which they found upon the bushes. 
Soon ’they got so tired that they could not drag themselves 
along, so they lay down under a tree and went to sleep. 

It was now the third morning since they had left their 
father’s house, and they still walked on ; but they only got deeper 
and deeper into the wood, and Hansel saw that if help did not 
come very soon they would die of hunger. At about noonday 
they saw a beautiful snow-white bird sitting upon a bough, 
which sang so sweetly that they stood still and listened to it. 
It soon ceased, and spreading its wings flew off; and they fol- 
lowed it until it arrived at a cottage, upon the roof of which it 
perched; and when they went close up to it they saw that the 
cottage was made of bread and cakes, and the window-panes 
were of clear sugar. 


21 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

“We will go in there,” said Hansel, “and have a glorious 
feast. I will eat a piece of the roof, and you can eat the window. 
Will they not be sweet?” So Hansel reached up and broke a 
piece off the roof, in order to see how it tasted, while Grethel 
stepped up to the window and began to bite it. Then a sweet 
voice called out in the room, “Tip-tap, tip-tap, who raps at 
my door?” and the chilren answered, “the wind, the wind, the 
child of heaven”; and they went on eating without interruption. 
Hansel thought the roof tasted very nice, so he tore off a great 
piece; while Grethel broke a large round pane out of the win- 
dow, and sat down quite contentedly. Just then the door opened, 
and a very old woman, walking upon crutches, came out. Han- 
sel and Grethel were so frightened that they let fall what they 
had in their hands; but the old woman, nodding her head, said, 
“Ah, you dear children, what has brought you here? Come in 
and stop with me, and no harm shall befall you”; and so say- 
ing she took them both by the hand, and led them into her cot- 
tage. A good meal of milk and pancakes, with sugar, apples, 
and nuts, was spread on the table, and in the back room were 
two nice little beds, covered with white, where Hansel and 
Grethel laid themselves down, and thought themselves in heaven. 
The old woman behaved very kindly to them, but in reality she 
was a wicked witch who waylaid children, and built the bread- 
house in order to entice them in, but as soon as they were in 
her power she killed them, cooked and ate them, and made a 
great festival of the day. Witches have red eyes, and cannot see 
very far; but they have a fine sense of smelling, like wild beasts, 
so that they know when children approach them. When Han- 
sel and Grethel came near the witch’s house she laughed wick- 
edly, saying, “Here come two who shall not escape me.” And 
early in the morning, before they awoke, she went up to them, 
and saw how lovingly they lay sleeping, with their chubby red 

22 


HANSEL AND GRETHEL 


cheeks, and she mumbled to herself, “That will be a good bite.” 
Then she took up Hansel with her rough hands, and shut him 
up in a little cage with a lattice-door; and although he screamed 
loudly it was of no use. Grethel came next, and, shaking her 
till she awoke, the witch said, “Get up, you lazy thing, and 
fetch some water to cook something good for your brother, who 
must remain in that stall and get fat; when he is fat enough I 
shall eat him.” Grethel began to cry, but it was all useless, 
for the old witch made her do as she wished. So a nice meal 
was cooked for Hansel, but Grethel got nothing but a crab’s 
claw. 

Every morning the old witch came to the cage and said, 
“Hansel, stretch out your finger that I may feel whether you 
are getting fat.” But Hansel used to stretch out a bone, and 
the old woman, having very bad sight, thought it was his finger, 
and wondered very much that he did not get fatter. When four 
weeks had passed, and Hansel still kept quite lean, she lost all 
her patience, and would not wait any longer. “Grethel,” she 
called out in a passion, “get some water quickly; be Hansel fat 
or lean, this morning I will kill and cook him.” Oh, how the 
poor little sister grieved, as she was forced to fetch the water, 
and fast the tears ran down her cheeks! “Dear good God, help 
us now!” she exclaimed. “Had we only been eaten by the wild 
beasts in the wood, then we should have died together.” But 
the old witch called out, “Leave off that noise; it will not help 
you a bit.” 

So early in the morning Grethel was forced to go out and 
fill the kettle, and make a fire. “First, we will bake, however,” 
said the old woman; “I have already heated the oven and 
kneaded the dough”; and so saying, she pushed poor Grethel 
I up to the oven, out of which the flames were burning fiercely. 

“Creep in,” said the witch, “and see if it is hot enough, and 
I 23 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


then we will put in the bread”; but she intended when Grethel 
got in to shut up the oven and let her bake, so that she might 
eat her as well as Hansel. Grethel perceived what her thoughts 
were, and said, “I do not know how to do it; how shall I get 
in?” “You stupid goose,” said she, “the opening is big enough. 
See, I could even get in myself!” and she got up, and put her 
head into the oven. Then Grethel gave her a push, so that she 
fell right in, and then shutting the iron door she bolted it ! Oh ! 
how horribly she howled; but Grethel ran away, and left the 
ungodly witch to burn to ashes. 

Now she ran to Hansel, and, opening his 
door, called out, “Hansel, we are saved; the 
H old witch is dead!” So he sprang out, like a 
bird out of his cage when the door is 
opened ; and they were so glad that they 
fell upon each other’s neck, and kissed 
each other over and over again. And 



HANSEL AND GRETHEL 

now, as there was nothing to fear, they went into the witch’s 
house, where in every corner were caskets full of pearls and 
precious stones. “These are better than pebbles,” said Hansel, 
putting as many into his pocket as it would hold; while Grethel 
thought, “I will take some too,” and filled her apron full. “We 
must be off now,” said Hansel, “and get out of this enchanted 
forest.” But when they had walked for two hours they came to 
a large piece of water. “We cannot get over,” said Hansel; “I 
can see no bridge at all.” “And there is no boat, either,” said 
Grethel;. “but there swims a white duck, and I will ask her to 
help us over.” And she sang: 

Little Duck, good little Duck, 

Grethel and Hansel, here we stand; 

There is neither stile nor bridge, 

Take us on your back to land.” 

So the duck came to them, and Hansel sat himself on, and bade 
his sister sit behind him. “No,” answered Grethel, “that will be 
too much for the duck; she shall take us over one at a time.” 
This the good little bird did, and when both were happily ar- 
rived on the other side, and had gone a little way, they came 
to a well-known wood, which they knew the better every step they 
went, and at last they perceived their father’s house. Then they 
began to run, and, bursting into the house, they fell into their 
father’s arms. He had not had one happy hour since he had 
left the children in the forest; and his wife was dead. Grethel 
shook her apron, and the pearls and precious stones rolled out 
upon the floor, and Hansel threw down one handful after the 
other out of his pocket. Then all their sorrows were ended, 
and they lived together in great happiness. 

My tale is done. There runs a mouse ; whoever catches her 
may make a great, great cap out of her fur. 

25 


OH, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER! 


A FATHER had two sons, the elder of whom was forward 
and clever enough to do almost anything; but the 
younger was so stupid that he could learn nothing, and 
when the people saw him they said, “Will thy father still keep 
thee as a burden to him?” So, if anything was to be done, the 
elder had at all times to do it ; but sometimes the father would call 
him to fetch something in the dead of night, and perhaps the way 
led through the churchyard or by a dismal place, and then he 
used to answer, “No, father, I cannot go there, I am afraid,” for 
he was a coward. Or sometimes of an evening, tales were told 
by the fireside which made one shudder, and the listeners ex- 
claimed, “Oh, it makes us shiver!” In a corner, meanwhile, 
sat the younger son, listening, but he could not comprehend 
what was said, and he thought, “They say continually, ‘Oh, it 
makes us shiver, it makes us shiver!’ but perhaps shivering is an 
art which I cannot understand.” One day, however, his father 
said to him, “Do you hear, you there in the corner? You are 
growing stout and big; you must learn some trade to get your 
living by. Do you see how your brother works? But as for you, 
you are not worth malt and hops.” 

“Ah, father,” answered he, “I would willingly learn some- 
thing. When shall I begin? I want to know what shivering 
means, for of that I can understand nothing.” 

The elder brother laughed when he heard this speech, and 
thought to himself, “Ah! my brother is such a simpleton that 
he cannot earn his own living. He who would make a good 
hedge must learn betimes to bend.” But the father sighed and 

26 


OH, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER! 

said, “What shivering jneans you may learn soon enough, but 
you will never get your bread by that.” 

Soon after the parish sexton came in for a gossip, so the 
father told him his troubles, and how that his younger son was 
such a simpleton that he knew nothing and could learn nothing. 
“Just fancy, when I asked him how he intended to earn his 
bread, he desired to learn what shivering meant!” “Oh, if that 
be all,” answered the sexton, “he can learn that soon enough 
with me; just send him to my place, and I will soon teach him.” 
The father was very glad, because he thought that it would do the 
boy good; so the sexton took him home to ring the bells. About 
two days afterward he called him up at midnight to go into the 
church-tower to toll the bell. “You shall soon learn what shiv- 
ering means,” thought the sexton, and getting up he went out 
too. As soon as the boy reached the belfry, and turned himself 
round to seize the rope, he saw upon the stairs, near the sound- 
ing-hole, a white figure. “Who’s there?” he called out; but the 
figure gave no answer, and neither stirred nor spoke. “Answer,” 
said the boy, “or make haste off; you have no business here to- 
night.” But the sexton did not stir, so that the boy might think 
it was a ghost. 

The boy called out a second time, “What are you doing 
here? Speak, if you are an honest fellow, or else I will throw 
you downstairs.” 

The sexton said to himself, “That is not a bad thought”; 
but he remained quiet as if he were a stone. Then the boy 
- called out for the third time, but it produced no effect; so, 
| making a spring, he threw the ghost down the stairs, so that it 
\ rolled ten steps, and then lay motionless in a corner. There- 
j upon he rang the bell, and then going home, he went to bed 
I without saying a word, and fell fast asleep. The sexton’s wife 
waited some time for her husband, but he did not come; so at 
' 21 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


last she became anxious, woke the boy, and asked him if he 
knew where her husband was, who had gone before him to the 
belfry. 

“No,” answered the boy; “but there Was someone stand- 
ing on the steps who would not give any answer, nor go away, 
so I took him for a thief and threw him downstairs. Go now 
and see where he is; perhaps it may be he, but I should be 
sorry for it.” The wife ran off and found her husband lying 
in a corner, groaning, with one of his ribs broken. 

She took him up and ran with loud outcries to the boy’s 
father, and said to him, “Your son has brought a great misfor- 
tune on us; he has thrown my husband down and broken his 
bones. Take the good-for-nothing fellow from our house.” 

The terrified father came in haste and scolded the boy. 
“What do these wicked tricks mean? They will only bring mis- 
fortune upon you.” 

“Father,” answered the lad, “hear me! I am quite inno- 
cent. He stood there at midnight like one who had done some 
evil; I did not know who it was, and cried three times, ‘Speak, 
or be off!’ ” 

“Ah!” said the father, “everything goes badly with you. 
Get out of my sight; I do not wish to see you again!” 

“Yes, father, willingly; wait but one day, then I will go 
out and learn what shivering means, that I may at least under- 
stand one business which will support me.” 

“Learn what you will,” replied the father, “all is the same 
to me. Here are fifty dollars; go forth with them into the world, 
and tell no man whence you came, or who your father is, for I 
am ashamed of you.” 

“Yes, father, gs you wish; but if you desire nothing else, 
I shall esteem that very lightly.” 

As soon as day broke the youth put his fifty dollars into a 
28 


OH, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER! 

knapsack and went out upon the high road, saying continually, 
“Oh, if I could but shiver!” 

Presently a man came up, who heard the boy talking to him- 
self; and, as they weVe just passing the place where the gallows 
stood, the man said, “Do you see? There is the tree where seven 
fellows have married the hempen maid, and now swing to and 



fro. Sit yourself down there and wait till midnight, and then 
you will know what it is to shiver!” 

“Oh, if that be all,” answered the boy, “I can very easily do 
that ! But if I learn so speedily what shivering is, then you shall 
have my fifty dollars if you come again in the morning.” 

Then the boy went to the gallows, sat down, and waited for 
evening, and as he felt cold he made a fire. But about mid- 
night the wind blew so sharp, that in spite of the fire he could 
not keep himself warm. The wind blew the bodies against one 
another* so that they swung backward and forward, and he 

29 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


thought, “If I am cold here below by the fire, how must they 
freeze above!” So his compassion was excited, and, contriving 
a ladder, he mounted, and, unloosening them one after another, 
he brought down all seven. Then he poked and blew the fire, 
and set them round that they might warm themselves; but as 
they sat still without moving their clothing caught fire. So he 
said, “Take care of yourselves, or I will hang all of you up 
again.” The dead heard not, and silently allowed their rags to 
burn. This made him so angry that he said, “If you will not 
hear I cannot help you; but I will not burn with you.” So he 
hung them up again in a row, and sitting down by the fire he 
soon went to sleep. The next morning the man came, expecting 
to receive his fifty dollars, and asked, “Now do you know what 
shivering means?” “No,” he answered; “how should I know? 
Those fellows up there have not opened their mouths, and were 
so stupid that they let the old rags on their bodies be burnt.” 
Then the man saw that he should not carry away the fifty dol- 
lars that day, so he went away saying, “I never met with such a 
one before.” 

The boy also went on his way and began again to say, “Ah, 
if only I could but shiver — if I could but shiver !” A wagoner 
walking behind overheard him, and asked, “Who are you?” 

“I do not know,” answered the boy. 

The wagoner asked again, “What do you here?” 

“I know not.” 

“Who is your father?” 

“I dare not say.” 

“What is it you are continually grumbling about?” 

“Oh,” replied the youth, “I wish to learn what shivering is, j 
but nobody can teach me.” 

“Cease your silly talk,” said the wagoner. “Come with me, J 
and I will see what I can do for you.” So the boy went with ) 

30 


OH, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER! 

the wagoner, and about evening time they arrived at an inn 
where they put up for the night, and while they were going into 
the parlor he said, quite aloud, “Oh, if I could but shiver — 
if I could but shiver !” The host overheard him and said, laugh- 
ingly, “Oh, if that is all you wish, you shall soon have the op- 
portunity.” “Hold your tongue,” said his wife; “so many im- 
prudent people have already lost their lives, it were a shame and 
sin to such beautiful eyes that they should not see the light 
again.” But the youth said, “If it were ever so difficult I would 
at once learn it; for that reason I left home”; and he never let 
the host have any peace till he told him that not far off stood an 
enchanted castle, where any one might soon learn to shiver il 
he would watch there three nights. The King had promised 
his daughter in marriage to whoever would venture, and she 
was the most beautiful young lady that the sun ever shone upon. 
And he further told him that inside the castle there was an im- 
mense amount of treasure guarded by evil spirits; enough to 
make any one free, and turn a poor man into a very rich one. 
Many, he added, had already ventured into this castle, but no 
one had ever come out again. 

The next morning this youth went to the King, and said, “If 
you will allow me, I wish to watch three nights in the en- 
chanted castle.” The King looked at him, and because his 
appearance pleased him, he said, “You may make three requests, 
but they must be inanimate things you ask for, and such as you 
can take with you into the castle.” So the youth asked for a 
fire, a lathe, and a cutting-board. 

The King let him take these things by day into the castle, 
and when it was evening the youth went in and made himself 
a bright fire in one of the rooms, and, placing his cutting-board 
and knife near it, he sat down upon his lathe. “Ah, if I could 
but shiver!” said he. “But even here I shall never learn.” At 

31 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

midnight he got up to stir the fire, and, as he poked it, there 
shrieked suddenly in one corner, “Miau, miau! how cold I am!” 
“You simpleton!” he exclaimed, “what are you shrieking for? 

If you are so cold come and sit down by the fire and warm 
yourself!” As he was speaking, two great black cats sprang up 
to him with an immense jump and sat down one on each side, 
looking at him quite wildly with their fiery eyes. When they 
had warmed themselves for a little while they said, “Comrade, 
shall we have a game of cards?” “Certainly,” he replied; “but 
let me see your paws first.” So they stretched out their claws, 
and he said, “Ah, what long nails you have got; wait a bit, I 
must cut them off first”; and so saying he caught them up by 
the necks, and put them on his board and screwed their feet 
down. “Since I have seen what you are about I have lost my relish 
for a game at cards,” said he ; and, instantly killing them, threw 
them away into the water. But no sooner had he quieted these 
two and thought of sitting down again by his fire, than there 
came out of every hole and corner black cats and black dogs 
with glowing chains, continually more and more, so that he 
could not hide himself. They howled fearfully, and jumped 
upon his fire, and scattered it about as if they would extinguish 
it. He looked on quietly for some time, but at last, getting 
angry, he took up his knife and called out, “Away with you, 
you vagabonds!” and chased them about until a part ran off, 
and the rest he killed and threw into the pond. As soon as 
he returned he blew up the sparks of his fire again and warmed 
himself, and while he sat his eyes began to feel very heavy and 
he wished to go to sleep. So looking around he saw a great bed 
in one corner, in which he lay down; but no sooner had he 
closed his eyes, than the bed began to move of itself and trav- j 
elled all round the castle. “Just so,” said he, “only better still”; 
whereupon the bed galloped away as if six horses pulled it. up \ 

32 


OH, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER! 

and down steps and stairs, until at last, all at once, it overset, 
bottom upward, and lay upon him like a mountain; but up he 
got, threw pillows and mattresses into the air, and saying, “Now 
he who wishes may travel,” laid himself down by the fire and 
slept till day broke. In the morning the King came, and, see- 
ing the youth lying on the ground, he thought that the spec- 
tres had killed him, and that he was dead; so he said, “It is a 
great misfortune that the finest men are thus killed”; but the 
youth, hearing this, sprang up, saying, “It is not come to that 
with me yet!” The King was much. astonished, but very glad, 
and asked him how he had fared. “Very well,” replied he; “as 
one night has passed, so also may the other two.” Soon after 
he met his landlord, who opened his eyes when he saw him. “I 
never thought to see you alive again,” said he; “have you learnt 
now what shivering means?” “No,” said he; “it is all of no 
use. Oh, if any one would but tell me!” 

The second night he went up again into the castle, and sit- 
ting down by the fire, began his old song, “If I could but shiver!” 
When midnight came, a ringing and a rattling noise was heard, 
gentle at first and louder and louder by degrees; then there was 
a pause, and presently with a loud outcry half a man’s body 
came down the chimney and fell at his feet. “Holloa,” he ex- 
claimed; “only half a man answered that ringing; that is too 
little.” Then the ringing began afresh, and a roaring and howl- 
ing was heard, and the other half fell down. “Wait a bit,” said 
he; “I will poke up the fire first.” When he had done so and 
looked round again, the two pieces had joined themselves to- 
gether, and an ugly man was sitting in his place. “I did not bar- 
gain for that,” said the youth; “the bench is mine.” The man 
tried to push him away, but the youth would not let him, and giv- 
ing him a violent push sat himself down in his old place. Pres- 
ently more men fell down the chimney, one after the other, whq 

33 

/ 

i 

( 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


brought nine thigh-bones and two skulls, which they set up, and 
then they began to play at ninepins. At this the youth wished 
also to play, so he asked whether he might join them. “Yes, if 
you have money!” “Money enough,” he replied, “but your balls 
are not quite round” ; so saying he took up the skulls, and, plac- 
ing them on his lathe, turned them round. “Ah, now you will 
roll well,” said he. “Holloa! now we will go at it merrily.” So 
he played with thepi and lost some of his money, but as it struck 
twelve everything disappeared. Then he lay down and went to 
sleep quietly. On the morrow the King came for news, and 
asked him how he had fared this time. “I have been playing nine- 
pins,” he replied, “and lost a couple of dollars.” “Have you 
not shivered?” “No! I have enjoyed myself very much; but I 
wish some one would teach me that!” 

On the third night he sat down again on his bench, saying 
in great vexation, “Oh, if I could only shiver!” When it grew 
late, six tall men came in bearing a coffin between them. “Ah, 
ah,” said he, “that is surely my little cousin, who died two days 
ago”; and beckoning with his finger he called, “Come, little 
cousin, come !” The men set down the coffin upon the ground, 
and he went up and took off the lid, and there lay a dead man 
within, and as he felt the face it was as cold as ice. “Stop a 
moment,” he cried; “I will warm it in a trice”; and stepping 
up to the fire he warmed his hands, and then laid them upon the 
face, but it remained cold. So he took up the body, and sitting 
down by the fire, he laid it on his lap and rubbed the arms that 
the blood might circulate again. But all this was of no avail, 
and he thought to himself if two lie in a bed together they warm 
each other; so he put the body in the bed, and covering it up 
laid himself down by its side. After a little while the body be- 
came warm and began to move about. “See, my cousin,” he 
exclaimed, “have I not warmed you?” But the body got up 

34 


OH, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER! 

and exclaimed, “Now I will strangle you.” “Is that your grati- 
tude?” cried the youth. “Then you shall get into your coffin 
again”; and taking it up, he threw the body in, and made the 
lid fast. Then the six men came in again and bore it away. 
“Oh, deary me,” said he, “I shall never jbe able to shiver if I 
stop here all my lifetime !” At these words in came a man who 
was taller than all the others, and looked more horrible ; but he 



was very old and had a long white beard. “Oh, you wretch,” 
he exclaimed, “now thou shalt learn what shivering means, for 
thou shalt die !” 

“Not so quick,” answered the youth; “if I die I must be 
brought to it first.” 

“I will quickly seize you,” replied the ugly one. 

“Softly, softly; be not too sure. I am as strong as you, 
and perhaps stronger.” 


35 


GRIMM’S FAIRY! STORIES 

“That we will see,” said the ugly man. “If you are stronger 
than I, I will let you go; come, let us try”; and he led him 
away through a dark passage to a smith’s forge. Then taking 
up an axe he cut through the anvil at one blow down to the 
ground. “I can do that still better,” said the youth, and went 
to another anvil, while the old man followed him and watched 
him, with his long beard hanging down. Then the youth took 
up an axe, and, splitting the anvil at one blow> wedged the old 
man’s beard in it. “Now I have you; now death comes upon 
you !” and taking up an iron bar he beat the old man until he 
groaned, and begged him to stop, and he would give him great 
riches. So the youth drew out the axe, and let him loose. Then 
the old man, leading him back into the castle, showed him three 
chests full of gold in a cellar. “One share of this,” said he, 
“belongs to the poor, another to the King, and a third to your- 
self.” And just then it struck twelve and the old man vanished, 
leaving the youth in the dark. “I must help myself out here,” 
said he, and groping round he found his way back to his room 
and went to sleep by the fire. 

The next morning the King came and inquired, “Now have 
you learnt to shiver?” “No,” replied the youth; “what is it? My 
dead cousin came here, and a bearded man, who showed me a lot 
of gold down below; but what shivering means, no one has 
showed me!” Then the King said, “You have won the castle, 
and shall marry my daughter.” 

“That is all very fine,” replied the youth, “but still I don’t 
know what shivering means.” 

So the gold was fetched, and the wedding was celebrated, 
but the young Prince (for the youth was a Prince now), not- 
withstanding his love for his bride, and his great contentment, 
was still continually crying, “If I could but shiver! if I could 
but shiver!” At last it fell out in this wise; one of the cham- 

36 


OH, IF I COULD BUT SHIVER! 

bermaids said to the Princess, “Let me bring in my aid to teach 
him what shivering is.” So she went to the brook which flowed 
through the garden, and drew up a pail of water full of little 
fish ; and, at night, when the young Prince was asleep, his bride 
drew away the covering and poured the pail of cold water and 
the little fishes over him, so that they slipped all about him. 
Then the Prince woke up directly, calling out, “Oh ! that makes 
me shiver ! dear wife, that makes me shiver ! Yes, now I know 
what shivering means I” 



n 


DUMMLING AND THE THREE FEATHERS 

O NCE upon a time there lived a King who had three sons; 
the two elder were learned and bright, but the youngest 
said very little and appeared somewhat foolish, so he 
was always known as Dummling. 

When the King grew old and feeble, feeling that he was 
nearing his end, he wished to leave the crown to one of his three 
sons, but could not decide to which. He thereupon settled that 
they should travel, and that the one who could obtain the most 
splendid carpet should ascend the throne when he died. 

So that there could be no disagreement as to the way each 
one should go, the King conducted them to the courtyard of the 
Palace, and there blew three feathers, by turn, into the air, tell- 
ing his sons to follow the course that the three feathers took. 

Then one of the feathers flew eastwards, another westwards, 
but the third went straight up towards the sky, though it only sped 
a short distance before falling to earth. 

Therefore one son travelled towards the east, and the second 
went to the west, both making fun of poor Dummling, who was 
obliged to stay where his feather had fallen. Then Dummling, 
sitting down and feeling rather miserable after his brothers had 
gone, looked about him, and noticed that near to where his feather 
lay was a trap-door. On lifting this up he perceived a flight of 
steps, down which he went. At the bottom was another door, so 
he knocked upon it, and then heard a voice calling — 

“Maiden, fairest, come to me, 

Make haste to ope the door, 

!A mortal surely you will see, 

From the world above is he, 

We’ll help him from our store.” 

38 


DUMMLING AND THE THREE FEATHERS 

And then the door was flung open, and the young man found 
himself facing a big toad sitting in the centre of a number of 
young toads. The big toad addressed him, asking him what he 
wanted. 

Dummling, though rather surprised when he saw the toads, 
and heard them question him, being good-hearted replied 
politely — 

“I am desirous to obtain the most splendid carpet in the 
world; just now it would be extremely useful to me.” 

The toad who had just spoken, called to a young toad, 
saying — 


“Maiden, fairest, come to me, 
’Tis a mortal here you see; 

Let us speed all his desires, 
Giving him what he requires.” 


Immediately the young toad fetched a large box. This the 
old one opened, and took out an exquisite carpet, of so beauti- 
ful a design, that it certainly could have been manufactured 
nowhere upon the earth. 

Taking it with grateful thanks, Dummling went up the flight 
of steps, and was once more in the Palace courtyard. 

The two elder brothers, being of the opinion that the 
youngest was so foolish that he was of no account whatever in 
trying to obtain the throne, for they did not think he would find 
anything at all, had said to each other: 

“It is not necessary for us to trouble much in looking for 
the carpet!” so they took from the shoulders of the first peasant 
they came across a coarse shawl, and this they carried to their 
father. 

At the same time Dummling appeared with his beautiful 
39 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

carpet, which he presented to the King, who was very much 
surprised, and said — 

“By rights the throne should be for my youngest son.” 

But when the two brothers heard this, they gave the old 
King no rest, saying — 

“How is it possible that Dummling, who is not at all wise, 
could control the affairs of an important kingdom? Make some 
other condition, we beg of you!” 

agreed the father, “the one who brings me the 
most magnificent ring shall succeed to 
my throne,” and once more he took his 
sons outside the Palace. Then, again, he 
blew three feathers into the air to show 
the direction each one should go; 
whereupon the two elder sons went 
east and west, but Dummling’s flew 
straight up, and fell close by the 
trap-door. Then the youngest 
son descended the steps 
as before, and upon see- 
ing the large toad he 
talked with her, and told 



40 


DUMMLING AND THE THREE FEATHERS 



her what he desired. 

So the big box was 
brought, and out of 
it the toad handed 
him a ring which 
was of so exquis- 
ite a workmanship 
that no goldsmith’s c 
equal it. 

Meanwhile the two < 
brothers made fun of the 
Dummling searching for a ring, 
and they decided to take no 
needless trouble themselves. 

Therefore, finding an old 
iron ring belonging to some har- 
ness, they took that to the King. Dummling was there before 
them with his valuable ring, and immediately upon his showing 
it, the father declared that in justice the kingdom should be his. 

In spite of this, however, the two elder sons worried the 
poor King into appointing one test further, before bestowing 
his kingdom, and the King, giving way, announced that the 
one who brought home the most beautiful woman should inherit 
the crown. 


41 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

Then Dummling again descended to the large toad, and 
made known to her that he wished to find the most beautiful 
woman alive. 

“The most beautiful woman is not always at hand,” said the 
toad, “however, you shall have her.” 

Then she gave to him a scooped-out turnip to which half 
a dozen little mice were attached. The young man regarded 
this a trifle despondently, for it had no great resemblance to 
what he was seeking. 

“What can I make of this?” he asked. 

“Only place in it one of my young toads,” replied the large 
toad, “and then you can decide how to use it.” 

From the young toads around the old toad, the young man 
seized one at hazard, and placed it in the scooped-out turnip, 
but hardly was it there when the most astounding change 
occurred, for the toad was transformed into a wondrously lovely 
maiden, the turnip became an elegant carriage, and the six mice 
were turned into handsome horses. The young man kissed the 
maiden and drove off to bring her to the King. 

Not long afterwards the two brothers arrived. 

In the same way, as the twice before, they had taken no 
trouble about the matter, but had picked up the first passable 
looking peasant woman whom they had happened to meet. 

After glancing at the three, the King said: “Without doubt, 
at my death the kingdom will be Dummling’s.” 

Once more the brothers loudly expressed their discontent, 
and gave the King no peace, declaring — 

“It is impossible for us to agree to Dummling becoming 
ruler of the kingdom,” and they insisted that the women should 
be required to spring through a hoop which was suspended 
from the ceiling in the centre of the hall, thinking to themselves, 
“Now, certainly our peasants will get the best of it, they are 

42 


DUMMLING AND THE THREE FEATHERS 

active and sturdy, but that fragile lady will kill herself if she 
jumps.” 

To this, again, the King consented, and the peasants were 
first given trial. 

They sprang through the hoop, indeed, but so clumsily 
that they fell, breaking their arms and legs. 

Upon which the lovely lady whom Dummling had brought 
home, leapt through as lightly as a fawn, and this put an end to 
all contention. 

So the crown came to Dummling, who lived long, and ruled 
his people temperately and justly. 



43 


LITTLE SNOW-WHITE 


I T was in the middle of winter, when the broad flakes of snow 
were falling around, that a certain queen sat working at her 
window, the frame of which was made of fine black ebony; 
and, as she was looking out upon the snow, she pricked her fin- 
ger, and three drops of blood fell upon it. Then she gazed 
thoughtfully down on the red drops which sprinkled the white 
snow and said, “Would that my little daughter may be as white 
as that snow, as red as the blood, and as black as the ebony win- 
dow-frame!” And so the little girl grew up; her skin was as 
white as snow, her cheeks as rosy as blood, and her hair as black 
as ebony; and she was called Snow-White. 

But this queen died; and the king soon married another 
wife, who was very beautiful, But so proud that she could not 
bear to think that any one could surpass her. She had a magical 
looking-glass, to which she used to go and gaze upon herself 
in it, and say — 

, “Tell me, glas3, tell me true ! 

Of all the ladies in the land, 

Who is fairest? tell me who?” 

And the glass answered, “Thou, Queen, art fairest in the land.” 

But Snow-White grew more and more beautiful; and when 
she was seven years old, she was as bright as the day, and fairer 
than the queen herself. Then the glass one day answered the 
queen, when she went to consult it as usual — 

“Thou, Queen, may’st fair and beauteous be, 

But Snow-White is lovelier far than thee?” 

44 


LITTLE SNOW-WHITE 


When the queen heard this she turned pale with rage and envy; 
and calling to one of her servants said, “Take Snow-White away 
into the wide wood, that I may never see her more.” Then the 
servant led the little girl away; but his heart melted when she 
begged him to spare her life, and he said, “I will not hurt thee, 
thou pretty child.” So he left her there alone; and though he 



thought it most likely that the wild beasts would tear her to pieces, 
he felt as if a great weight were taken off his heart when he had 
made up his mind not to kill her, but leave her to her fate. 

Then poor Snow-White wandered along through the wood 
in great fear; and the wild beasts roared around, but none did 
her any harm. In the evening she came to a little cottage, and 
went in there to rest, for her weary feet would carry her no fur- 

45 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


ther. Everything was spruce and neat in the cottage: on the 
table was spread a white cloth, and there were seven little plates 
with seven little loaves and seven little glasses with wine in 
them ; and knive6 and forks laid in order, and by the wall stood 
seven little beds. Then, as she was exceedingly hungry, she 
picked a little piece off each loaf, and drank a very little wine 
out of each glass ; and after that she thought she would lie down 
and rest. So she tried all the little beds; and one was too long, 
and another was too short, till, at last, the seventh suited her; 
and there she laid herself down and went to sleep. Presently in 
came the masters of the cottage, who were seven little dwarfs that 
lived among the mountains, and dug and searched about for 
gold. They lighted up their seven lamps, and saw directly that 
all was not right. The first said, “Who has been sitting on my 
stool?” The second, “Who has been eating off my plate?” The 
third, “Who has been picking at my bread?” The fourth, “Who 
has been meddling with my spoon?” The fifth, “Who has been 
handling my fork?” The sixth, “Who has been cutting with my 
knife?” The seventh, “Who has been drinking my wine?” Then 
the first looked around and said, “Who has been lying on my 
bed?” And the rest cam| running to him, and every one cried 
out that somebody had been upon his bed. But the seventh saw 
Snow-White, and called upon his brethren to come and look at 
her; and they cried out with wonder and astonishment, and 
brought their lamps and gazing upon her, they said, “Good 
heavens! what a lovely child she is!” And they were delighted 
to see her, and took care not to waken her; and the seventh 
dwarf slept an hour with each of the other dwarfs in turn, till 
the night was gone. 

In the morning Snow-White told them all her story; and 
they pitied her, and said if she would keep all things in order, 
and cook and wash, ^ind knit and spin for them, she might stay 

46 


LITTLE SNOW-WHITE 

where she was, and they would take good care of her. Then 
they went out all day long to their work, seeking for gold and 
silver in the mountains; and Snow-White remained at home; and 
they warned her, saying, “The queen will soon find out where 
you are, so take care and let no one in.” But the queen, now; 
that she thought Snow-White was dead, believed that she was 
certainly the handsomest lady in the land; so she went to her 
glass and said — 

“Tell me, glass, tell me true! 

Of all the ladies in the land, 

Who is fairest? tell me who?” 

And the glass answered — 

“Thou, Queen, thou are fairest in all this land ; 

But over the hills, in the greenwood shade, 

Where the seven dwarfs their dwelling have made, 

There Snow-White is hiding; and she 
Is lovelier far, O Queen, than thee.” 

Then the queen was very much alarmed; for she knew that 
the glass always spoke the truth, and she was sure that the ser- 
vant had betrayed her. And as she could not bear to think that 
any one lived who was more beautiful than she was, she dis- 
guised herself as an old pedlar woman and went her way over 
the hills to the place where the dwarfs dwelt. Then she knocked 
at the door and cried, “Fine wares to sell !” Snow-White looked 
out of the window, and said, “Good day, good woman; what 
have you to sell?” “Good wares, fine wares,” replied she; “laces 
and bobbins of all colors.” “I will let the old lady in; she 
seems to be a very good sort of a body,” thought Snow-White; 
so she ran down, and unbolted the door. “Bless me 1” said the 
woman, “how badly your stays are laced. Let me lace them up 
with one of my nice new laces.” Snow-White did not dream of 

47 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


any mischief; so she stood up before the old woman who set to 
work so nimbly, and pulled the lace so tightly that Snow-White 
lost her breath, and fell down as if she were dead. “There’s 
an end of all thy beauty,” said the spiteful queen, and went away 
home. 

In the evening the seven dwarfs returned; and I need not 
say how grieved they were to see their faithful Snow-White 



stretched upon the ground motionless, as if she were quite dead. 
However, they lifted her up, and when they found what was 
the matter, they cut the lace; and in a little time she began to 
breathe, and soon came to herself again. Then they said, “The 
old woman was the queen; take care another time, and let no 
one in when we are away.” 

When the queen got home, she went to her glass, and spoke 
to it, but to her surprise it replied in the same words as before. 

48 


LITTLE SNOW-WHITE 


Then the blood ran cold in her heart with spite and malice 
to hear that Snow-White still lived; and she dressed herself up 
again in a disguise, but very different from the one she wore 
before, and took with her a poisoned comb. When she reached 
the dwarfs’ cottage, she knocked at the door, and cried, “Fine 
wares to sell!” but Snow-White said, “I dare not let any one 
in.” Then the queen said, “Only look at my beautiful combs;” 
and gave her the poisoned one. And it looked so pretty that 
the little girl took it up and put it into her hair to try it; but 
the moment it touched her head the poison was so powerful 
that she fell down senseless. “There you may lie,” said the 
queen, and went her way. But by good luck the dwarfs re- 
turned very early that evening; and when they saw Snow-White 
lying on the ground, they thought what had happened, and 
soon found the poisoned comb. And when they took it away, 
she recovered, and told them all that had passed; and they warned 
her once more not to open the door to any one. 

Meantime the queen went home to her glass, and trem- 
bled with rage when she received exactly the same answer as 
before; and she said, “Snow-White shall die, if it costs me my 
life.” So she went secretly into a chamber, and prepared a 
poisoned apple : the outside looked very rosy and tempting, but 
whosoever tasted it was sure to die. Then she dressed herself 
up as a peasant’s wife, and travelled over the hills to the dwarfs’ 
cottage, and knocked at the door ; but Snow-White put her head 
out of the window, and said, “I dare not let any one in, for the 
dwarfs have told me not to.” “Do as you please,” said the old 
woman, “but at any rate take this pretty apple; I will make you 
a present of it.” “No,” said Snow-White, “I dare not take it.” 
“You silly girl !” answered the other, “what are you afraid of? 
do you think it is poisoned? Come! do you eat one part, and I 
will eat the other.” Now the apple was so prepared that one 

49 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


side was good, though the other side was poisoned. Then Snow- 
White was very much tempted to taste, for the apple looked 
exceedingly nice; and when she saw the old woman eat, she 
could refrain no longer. But she had scarcely put the piece 
into her mouth when she fell down dead upon the ground. “This 
time nothing will save thee,” said the queen ; and she went home 
to her glass, and at last it said — “Thou, Queen, art the fairest of 
all the fair.” And then her envious heart was glad, and as happy 
as such a heart could be. 

When evening came, and the dwarfs returned home, they 
found Snow-White lying on the ground; no breath passed her 
lips, and they were afraid that she was quite dead. They lifted 
her up, and combed her hair, and washed her face with wine and 
water; but all was in vain. So they laid her down upon a bier, 
and all seven watched and bewailed her three whole days; and 
then they proposed to bury her; but her cheeks were still rosy, 
and her face looked just as it did while she was alive; so they 
said, “We will never bury her in the cold ground.” And they 
made a coffin of glass so that they might still look at her, and 
wrote her name upon it in golden letters, and that she was a 
king’s daughter. Then the coffin was placed upon the hill, and 
one of the dwarfs always sat by it and watched. And the birds 
of the air came, too, and bemoaned Snow-White. First of all 
came an owl, and then a raven, but at last came a dove. 

And thus Snow-White lay for a long, long time, and still 
only looked as though she were asleep; for she was even now 
as white as snow, and as red as blood, and as black as ebony. At 
last a prince came and called at the dwarfs’ house; and he saw 
Snow-White and read what was written in golden letters. Then 
he offered the dwarfs money, and earnestly prayed them to let 
him take her away; but they said, “We will not part with her 
for all the gold in the world.” At last, however, they had pity 

50 


LITTLE SNOW-WHITE 


on him, and gave him the coffin; but the moment he lifted it up 
to carry it home with him, the piece of apple fell from between 
her lips, and Snow-White awoke, and exclaimed, “Where am 1 1” 
And the prince answered, “Thou art safe with me.” Then he 
told her all that had happened, and said, “I love you better than 
all the world; come with me to my father’s palace, and you shall 
be my wife.” Snow-White consented, and went home with the 
prince ; and everything was prepared with great pomp and splen- 
dor for their wedding. 

To the feast was invited, among the rest, Snow-White’s old 
enemy, the queen; and as she was dressing herself in fine, rich 
clothes, she looked in the glass and said, “Tell me, glass, tell 
me true! Of all the ladies in the land, Who is fairest? tell me 
who?” And the glass answered, “Thou, lady, art the loveliest 
here , I ween; But lovelier far is the new-made queen.” 

When she heard this, the queen started with rage; but her 
envy and curiosity were so great, that she could not help setting 
out to see the bride. And when she arrived, and saw that it was 
no other than Snow-White, whom she thought had been dead a 
long while, she choked with passion, and fell ill and died; but 
Snow-White and the prince lived and reigned happily over that 
land, many, many years. 



51 


CATHERINE AND FREDERICK 


O NCE upon a time there was a youth named Frederick 
and a girl called Catherine, who had married and lived 
together as a young couple. One day Fred said, “I am 
now going into the fields, dear Catherine, and by the time I 
return let there be something hot upon the table, for I shall be 
hungry, and something to drink, too, for I shall be thirsty.” 

“Very well, dear Fred,” said she, “go at once, and I will 
make all right for you.” 

As soon, then, as dinner-time approached, she took down 
a sausage out of the chimney, and putting it in a frying-pan with 
batter, set it over the fire. Soon the sausage began to frizzle 
and spit while Catherine stood by holding the handle of the pan 
and thinking; and among other things she thought that while 
the sausage was getting ready she might go into the cellar and 
draw some beer. So she took a can and went down into the 
cellar to draw the beer, and while it ran into the can, she 
bethought herself that perhaps the dog might steal the sausage 
out of the pan, and so up the cellar stairs she ran, but too late, 
for the rogue had already got the meat in his mouth and was 
sneaking off. Catherine, however, pursued the dog for a long 
way over the fields, but the beast was quicker than she, and would 
not let the sausage go, but bolted off at a great rate. “Off is 
off!” said Catherine, and turned round, and being very tired and 
hot, she went home slowly to cool herself. All this while the 
beer was running out of the cask, for Catherine had forgotten 
to turn the tap off, and so, as soon as the can was full, the liquor 
ran over the floor of the cellar until it was all out. Catherine saw 
the misfortune at the top of the steps. “My gracious!” she ex- 

52 


CATHERINE AND FREDERICK 

claimed; “what shall I do that Fred may not find this out?” 
She considered for some time till she remembered that a sack 
of fine malt yet remained from the last brewing, in one corner, 
which she would fetch down and strew about in the beer. “Yes,” 
said she, “it was spared at the right time to be useful to me now 
in my necessity”; and down she pulled the sack so hastily that 
she overturned the can of beer for Fred, and away it mixed with 
the rest on the floor. “It is all right,” said she, “where one is, 
the other should be,” and she strewed the malt over the whole 
cellar. When it was done she was quite overjoyed at her work, 
and said, “How clean and neat it does look, to be sure!” 

At noontime Fred returned. “Now, wife, what have you 
ready for me?” said he. “Ah, my dear Fred,” she replied, “I 
would have fried you a sausage, but while I drew the beer the 
dog stole it out of the pan, and while I hunted the dog the 
beer all ran out, and as I was about to dry up the beer with the 
malt I overturned your can; but be contented, the cellar is quite 
dry again now.” 

“Oh, Catherine, Catherine!” said Fred; “you should not 
have done so ! to let the sausage be stolen ! and the beer run out ! 
and over all to shoot our best sack of malt!” 

“Well, Fred,” said she, “I did not know that; you should 
have told me.” 

But the husband thought to himself, if one’s wife acts so, 
one must look after things oneself. Now, he had collected a 
tolerable sum of silver dollars, which he changed into gold, and 
then he told his wife, “Do you see, these are yellow counters 
which I will put in a pot and bury in the stable under the cow’s 
stall ; but mind that you do not meddle with it, or you will come 
to some harm.” 

Catherine promised to mind what he said, but as soon as 
Fred was gone some hawkers came into the village with earth- 

53 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

enware for sale, and amongst others they asked her if she would 
purchase anything. “Ah, good people,” said Catherine, “I have 
no money, and cannot buy anything, but if you can make use of 
yellow counters I will buy them.” 

“Yellow counters! ah! why not? Let us look at them,” 
said they. 



“Go into the stable,” she replied, “and dig under the cow’s 
stall, and there you will find the yellow counters. I dare not go 
myself.” 

The rogues went at once, and soon dug up the shining gold, 
which they quickly pocketed, and then they ran off, leaving be- 
hind them their pots and dishes in the house. Catherine thought 
she might as well make use of the new pottery, and since she had 
no need of anything in the kitchen, she set out each pot on the 
ground, and then put others on the top of the palings round the 
house for ornament. When Fred returned, and saw the fresh 

54 



CATHERINE AND FREDERICK 

decorations, he asked Catherine what she had done. “I have 
bought them, Fred,” said she, “with the yellow counters which 
lay under the cow’s stall; but I did not dig them up myself; 
the pedlars did that.” 

“Ah, wife, what have you done?” replied Fred. “They were 
not counters, but bright gold, which was all the property we pos- 
sessed: you should not have done so.” 

“Well, dear Fred,” replied his wife, “you should have told 
me so before. I did not know that.” 

Catherine stood considering for awhile, and presently she 
began, “Come, Fred, we will soon get the gold back again; let 
us pursue the thieves.” 

“Well, come along,” said Fred; “we will try at all events; 
but take butter and cheese with you, that we may have some- 
thing to eat on our journey.” 

“Yes, Fred,” said she, and soon made herself ready; but, 
her husband being a good walker, she lagged behind. “Ah!” 
said she, “this is my luck, for when we turn back I shall be a 
good bit forward.” Presently she came to a hill, on both sides 
of which there were very deep ruts. “Oh, see!” said she, “how 
the poor earth is torn, flayed, and wounded: it will never be 
well again all its life!” And out of compassion she took out 
her butter, and greased the ruts over right and left, so that the 
wheels might run more easily through them, and, while she 
stooped in doing this, a cheese rolled out of her pocket down 
the mountain. Catherine said when she saw it, “I have already 
once made the journey up, and I am not coming down after 
you: another shall run and fetch you.” So saying, she took 
another cheese out of her pocket and rolled it down; but as it 
did not return, she thought, “Perhaps they are waiting for a 
companion and don’t like to come alone”; and down she bowled 
a third cheese. Still all three stayed, and she said, “I cannot 

55 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


think what this means; perhaps it is that the third cheese has 
missed his way: I will send a fourth, that he may call him as he 
goes by.” But this one acted no better than the others, and 
Catherine became so anxious that she threw down a fifth and a 
sixth cheese also, and they were the last. For a long time after 
this she waited, expecting they would come, but when she found 
they did not she cried out, “You are nice fellows to send after a 
dead man! you stop a fine time! but do you think I shall wait 
for you? Oh, no! I shall go on; you can follow me; you have 
younger legs than I.” 

So saying, Catherine walked on and came up with Fred, 
who was waiting for her, because he needed something to eat. 
“Now,” said he, “give me quickly what you brought.” She 
handed him the dry bread. “Where are the butter and cheese?” 
cried her husband. “Oh, Fred, dear,” she replied, “with the but- 
ter I have smeared the ruts, and the cheeses will soon come, but 
one ran away, and I sent the others after it to call it back!” 

“It was silly of you to do so,” said Fred, “to grease the 
xoads with butter, and to roll cheese down the hill !” 

“If you had but told me so,” said Catherine, vexedly. 

So they ate the dry bread together, and presently Fred said, 
“Catherine, did you make things fast at home before you came 
out?” 

“No, Fred,” said she, “you did not tell me.” 

“Then go back .and lock up the house before we go farther; 
bring something to eat with you, and I will stop here for you.” 

Back went Catherine, thinking, “Ah! Fred will like some- 
thing else to eat. Butter and cheese will not please; I will bring 
with me a bag of dried apples and a mug of vinegar to drink.” 
When she had put these things together she bolted the upper 
half of the door, but the under door she raised up and carried 
away on her shoulder, thinking that certainly the house was well 

56 


CATHERINE AND FREDERICK 


protected if she took such good care of the door! Catherine 
walked along now very leisurely, for, said she to herself, “Fred 
will have all the longer rest!” and as soon as she reached him 
she gave him the door, saying, “There, Fred, now you have the 
house door you can take care of the house yourself.” 

“Oh! my goodness,” exclaimed the husband, “what a clever 
wife I have ! She has bolted the top door, but brought away the 
bottom part, where any one can creep through! Now it is too 
late to go back to the house, but since you brought the door here 
you may carry it onward.” 

“The door I will willingly carry,” replied Catherine, “but 
the apples and the vinegar will be too heavy, so I shall hang 
them on the door and make that carry them!” 

Soon after they came into a wood and looked about for 
the thieves, but they could not find them, and when it became 



57 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


dark they climbed up into a tree to pass the night. But scarcely 
had they done this when up came the fellows who carried away 
what should not go with them, and find things before they are 
lost. They laid themselves down right under the tree upon 
which Fred and Catherine were, and making a fire, prepared 
to share their booty. Then Fred slipped down on the other 
side, and collected stones, with which he climbed the tree again, 
to beat the thieves with. The stones, however, did them no 
harm, for the fellows called out, “Ah! it will soon be morning, 
for the wind is shaking down the chestnuts.” All this while 
Catherine still had the door upon her shoulder, and, as it pressed 
very heavily, she thought the dried apples were in fault, and said 
to Fred, “I must throw down these apples.” “No, Catherine,” 
said he, “not now, they might discover us.” “Ah, I must, though, 
they are so heavy.” 

“Well, then, do it in the hangman’s name!” cried Fred. 

As they fell down the rogues said, “Ah! the birds are 
pulling off the leaves.” 

A little while after Catherine said again, “Oh! Fred, I must 
pour out the vinegar, it is so heavy.” 

“No, no!” said he, “it will discover us.” 

“Ah! but I must, Fred, it is very heavy,” said Catherine. 

“Well, then, do it in the hangman’s name!” cried Fred. 

So she poured out the vinegar, and as it dropped on them 
the thieves said, “Ah! the dew is beginning to fall.” 

Not many minutes after Catherine found the door was still 
quite as heavy, and said again to Fred, “Now I must throw 
down this door.” 

“No, Catherine,” said he, “that would certainly discover us.” 

“Ah! Fred, but I must; it presses me so terribly.” 

“No, Catherine dear! do hold it fast,” said Fred. 

“There — it is gone!” said she. 

“Then let it go in the hangman’s name!” cried Fred, while 
58 


CATHERINE AND FREDERICK 


it fell crashing through the branches. The rogues below thought 
the Evil One was descending the tree, and ran off, leaving every- 
thing behind them. And early in the morning Fred and his wife 
descended, and found all their gold under the tree. 

As soon as they got home again, Fred said, “Now, Cather- 
ine, you must be very industrious and work hard.” 

“Yes, my dear husband,” said she; “I will go into the fields 
to cut corn.” When she was come into the field she said to her- 
self, “Shall I eat before I cut, or sleep first before I cut?” She 
determined to eat, and soon became so sleepy over her meal that 
when she began to cut she knew not what she was doing, and 
cut off half her clothes — gown, petticoat and all. When, after 
a long sleep, Catherine awoke, she got up half-stripped, and said 
to herself, “Am I myself? or am I not? Ah ! I am not myself.” 
By and by night came on, and Catherine ran into the village, 
and, knocking at her husband’s window, called, “Fred!” 

“What is the matter?” cried he. 

“I want to know if Catherine is indoors!” said she. 

“Yes, yes!” answered Fred, “she is certainly within, fast 
asleep.” 

“Then I am at home,” said she, and ran away. 

Standing outside Catherine found some thieves, wanting to 
steal, and going up to them she said, “I will help you.” 

At this the thieves were very glad, not doubting but that 
she knew where to light on what they sought. But Catherine, 
stepping in front of the houses, called out, “Good people, what 
have you that we can steal?” At this the thieves said, “You 
will do for us with a vengeance!” and they wished they had 
never come near her; but in order to rid themselves of her they 
said, “Just before the village the parson has some roots lying 
in his field; go and fetch some.” 

Catherine went as she was bid, and began to grub for them, 
59 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


and soon made herself very dirty with the earth. Presently a 
man came by and saw her, and stood still, for he thought it was 
the Evil One who was grovelling so among the roots. Away 
he ran into the village to the parson, and told him the Evil One 
was in his field, rooting up the turnips. “Ah ! heavens 1” said the 
parson, “I have a lame foot, and I cannot go out to exorcize him.” 

“Then I will carry you a-pickaback,” said the man, and took 
him up. 

Just as they arrived in the field, Catherine got up and drew 
herself up to her full height. 

“Oh ! it is the Evil One 1” cried the parson, and both he and 
the man hurried away; and, behold! the parson ran faster with 
his lame legs, through fear and terror, than the countryman 
could with his sound legs! 



60 


THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR 


O NE fine day a Tailor was sitting on his bench by the win- 
dow in very high spirits, sewing away most diligently, 
and presently up the street came a country woman, cry- 
ing, “Good jams for sale ! Good jams for sale !” This cry sounded 
nice in the Tailor’s ears, and, poking his diminutive head out of 
the window, he called, “Here, my good woman, just bring your 
jams in here 1” The woman mounted the three steps up to the 
Tailor’s house with her large basket, and began to open all the 
pots together before him. He looked at them all, held them up to 
the light, smelt them, and at last said, “These jams seem to me 
to be very nice, so you may weigh me out two ounces, my good 
woman; I don’t object even if you make it a quarter of a pound.” 
The woman, who hoped to have met with a good customer, gave 
him all he wished, and went off grumbling, and in a very bad 
temper. 

“Now I” exclaimed the Tailor, “Heaven will send me a bless- 
ing on this jam, and give me fresh strength and vigor;” and, 
taking the bread from the cupboard, he cut himself a slice the 
size of the whole loaf, and spread the jam upon it. “That will 
taste very nice,” said he; “but, before I take a bite, I will just 
finish this waistcoat.” So he put the bread on the table and 
stitched away, making larger and larger stitches every time for 
joy. Meanwhile the smell of the jam rose to the ceiling, where 
many flies were sitting, and enticed them down, so that soon a 
great swarm of them had pitched on the bread. “Holloa! who 
asked you?” exclaimed the Tailor, driving away the uninvited 
visitors ; but the flies, not understanding his words, would not be 
driven off, and came back in greater numbers than before. This 


GRIMM’S FAIRYj STORIES 

put the little man in a great passion, and, snatching up in his 
anger a bag of cloth, he brought it down with a merciless swoop 
upon them. When he raised it again he counted as many as 
seven lying dead before him with outstretched legs. “What a 
fellow you are!” said he to himself, astonished at his own 
bravery. “The whole town must hear of this.” In great haste 
he cut himself out a band, hemmed it, and then put on it in 
large letters, “Seven at one Blow!” “Ah,” said he, “not one 
city alone, the whole world shall hear it!” and his heart danced 
with joy, like a puppy-dog’s tail. 

The little Tailor bound the belt around his body, and made 
ready to travel forth into the wide world, feeling the workshop 
too small for his great deeds. Before he set out, however, he 
looked about his house to see if there were anything he could 
carry with him, but he found only an old cheese, which he 
pocketed, and observing a bird which was caught in the bushes 
before the door, he captured it, and put that in his pocket also. 
Soon after he set out boldly on his travels ; and, as he was light 
and active, he felt no fatigue. His road led him up a hill, and 
when he arrived at the highest point of it he found a great 
Giant sitting there, who was gazing about him very composedly. 

But the little Tailor went boldly up, and said, “Good day, 
friend; truly you sit there and see the whole world stretched 
below you. I also am on my way thither to seek my fortune. Are 
you willing to go with me?” 

The Giant looked with scorn at the little Tailor, and said, 
“You rascal! you wretched creature!” 

“Perhaps so,” replied the Tailor; “but here may be seen 
what sort of a man I am;” and, unbuttoning his coat, he showed 
the Giant his belt. The Giant read, “Seven at one Blow”; and 
supposing they were men whom the Tailor had killed, he felt 
some respect for him. Still he meant to try him first; so taking 

62 


THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR 

up a pebble, he squeezed it so hard that water dropped out of it. 
“Do as well as that,” said he to the other, “if you have the 
strength.” 

“If it be nothing harder than that,” said the Tailor, “that’s 
child’s play.” And, diving into his pocket, he pulled out the 
cheese and squeezed it till the whey ran out of it, and said, “Now, 
I fancy that I have done better than you.” 

The Giant wondered what to say, and could not believe it 
of the little man; so, catching up another pebble, he flung it so 


high that it almost went out of sight, saying, “There, you pigmy, 
do that if you can.” 

“Well done,” said the Tailor; “but your pebble will fall 
down again to the ground. I will throw one up which will not 
come down;” and, dipping into his pocket, he took out the bird 
and threw it into the air. The bird, glad to be free, flew straight 
up, and then far away, and did not come back. “How does 
that little performance please you, friend?” asked the Tailor. 

“You can throw well,” replied the giant; “now. truly we will 
63 



GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

see if you are able to carry something uncommon.” So saying, 
he took him to a large oak tree, which lay upon the ground, and 
said, “If you are strong enough, now help me to carry this tree 
out of the forest.” 

“With pleasure,” replied the Tailor; “you may hold the 
trunk upon your shoulder, and I will lift the boughs and 
branches, they are the heaviest, and carry them.” 

The Giant took the trunk upon his shoulder, but the Tailor 
sat down on one of the branches, and the Giant, who could not 
look round, was compelled to carry the whole tree and the Tailor 
also. He being behind, was very cheerful, and laughed at the 
trick, and presently began to sing the song, “There rode three 
tailors out at the gate,” as if the carrying of trees were a trifle. 
The Giant, after he had staggered a very short distance with his 
heavy load, could go no further, and called out, “Do you hear? 
I must drop the tree.” The Tailor, jumping down, quickly em- 
braced the tree with both arms, as if he had been carrying it, and 
said to the Giant, “Are you such a big fellow, and yet cannot 
you carry a tree by yourself?” 

Then they travelled on further, and as they came to a cherry- 
tree, the Giant seized the top of the tree where the ripest cherries 
hung, and, bending it down, gave it to the Tailor to hold, telling 
him to eat. But the Tailor was far too weak to hold the tree 
down, and when the Giant let go, the tree flew up in the air, and 
the Tailor was taken with it. He came down on the other side, 
however, unhurt, and the Giant said, “What does that mean? 
Are you not strong enough to hold that twig?” “My strength 
did not fail me,” said the Tailor; “do you imagine that that 
was a hard task for one who has slain seven at one blow? I 
sprang over the tree simply because the hunters were shooting 
down here in the thicket. Jump after me if you can.” The 
Giant made the attempt, but could not clear the tree, and stuck 

64 


THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR 

fast in the branches; so that in this affair, too, the Tailor had 
the advantage. 

Then the Giant said, “Since you are such a brave fellow, 
come with me to my house, and stop a night with me.” The 
Tailor agreed, and followed him; and when they came to the 
cave, there sat by the fire two other Giants, each with a roast 
sheep in his hand, of which he was eating. The Tailor sat down 
thinking. “Ah, this is very much more like the world than is 
my workshop.” And soon the Giant pointed out a bed where he 
could lie down and go to sleep. The bed, however, was too large 
for him, so he crept out of it, and lay down in a corner. When 
midnight came, and the Giant fancied the Tailor would be in a 
sound sleep, he got up, and taking a heavy iron bar, beat the bed 
right through at one stroke, and believed he had thereby given 
the Tailor his death-blow. At the dawn of day the Giants went 
out into the forest, quite forgetting the Tailor, when presently 
up he came, quite cheerful, and showed himself before them. 
The Giants were frightened, and, dreading he might kill them 
all, they ran away in a great hurry. 

The Tailor travelled on, always following his nose, and 
after he had journeyed some long distance, he came into the 
courtyard of a royal palace; and feeling very tired he laid him- 
self down on the ground and went to sleep. Whilst he lay there 
the people came and viewed him on all sides, and read upon his 
belt, “Seven at one blow.” “Ah,” they said, “what does this great 
warrior here in time of peace? This must be some valiant hero.” 
So they went and told the King, knowing that, should war break 
out, here was a valuable and useful man, whom one ought not 
to part with at any price. The King took advice, and sent one 
of his courtiers to the Tailor to beg for his fighting services, 
if he should be awake. The messenger stopped at the sleeper’s 
side, and waited till he stretched out his limbs and unclosed his 

65 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


eyes, and then he mentioned to him his message. “Solely for 
that reason did I come here,” was his answer; “I am quite will- 
ing to enter into the King’s service.” Then he was taken away 
with great honor, and a fine house was appointed him to dwell in. 

The courtiers, however, became jealous of the Tailor, and 
wished him at the other end of the world. “What will hap- 
pen?” said they to one another. “If we go to war with him, when 
he strikes out seven will fall at one stroke, and nothing will be 
left for us to do.” In their anger they came to the determina- 
tion to resign, and they went all together to the King, and asked 
his permission, saying, “We are not prepared to keep company 
with a man who kills seven at one blow.” The King was sorry 
to lose all his devoted servants for the sake of one, and wished 
that he had never seen the Tailor, and would gladly have now 
been rid of him. He dared not, however dismiss him, because 
he feared the Tailor might kill him and all his subjects, and 
seat himself upon the throne. For a long time he deliberated, 
till finally he came to a decision; and, sending for the Tailor, he 
told him that, seeing he was so great a hero, he wished to beg a 
favor of him. “In a certain forest in my kingdom,” said the 
King, “there are two Giants, who, by murder, rapine, fire, and 
robbery, have committed great damage, and no one approaches 
them without endangering his own life. If you overcome and 
slay both these Giants, I will give you my only daughter in mar- 
riage, and half of my kingdom for a dowry : a hundred knights 
shall accompany you, too, in order to render you assistance.” 

“Ah, that is something for a man like me,” thought the 
Tailor to himself: “a lovely Princess and half a kingdom are 
not offered to one every day.” “Oh, yes,” he replied, “I will 
soon settle these two Giants, and a hundred horsemen are not 
needed for that purpose; he who kills seven at one blow has no 
fear of two.” 


THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR 

Speaking thus, the little Tailor set out, followed by the hun- 
dred knights, to whom he said, immediately they came to the 
edge of the forest, “You must stay here; I prefer to meet these 
Giants alone. ,, 

Then he ran off into the forest, peering about him on all 
sides; and after a while he saw the two Giants sound asleep 
under a tree, snoring so loudly that the branches above them 
shook violently. The Tailor, bold as a lion, filled both his 
pockets with stones and climbed up the tree. When he got to 
the middle of it he crawled along a bough, so that he sat just 
above the sleepers, and then he let fall one stone after another 
upon the body of one of them. For some time the Giant did not 
move, until, at last awaking, he pushed his companion, and said, 
“Why are you hitting me?” 

“You have been dreaming,” he answered; “I did not touch 
you.” So they laid themselves down again to sleep, and presently 
the Tailor threw a stone down upon the other. “What is that?” 
he cried. “Why are you knocking me about?” 

“I did not touch you ; you are dreaming,” said the first. So 
they argued for a few minutes ; but, both being very weary with 
the day’s work, they soon went to sleep again. Then the Tailor 
began his fun again, and, picking out the largest stone, threw it 
with all his strength upon the chest of the first Giant. “This is 
too bad!” he exclaimed; and, jumping up like a madman, he fell 
upon his companion, who considered himself equally injured, 
and they set to in such good earnest, that they rooted up trees 
and beat one another about until they both fell dead upon the 
ground. Then the Tailor jumped down, saying, “What a piece of 
luck they did not pull up the tree on which I sat, or else I must 
have jumped on another like a squirrel, for I am not used to 
flying.” Then he drew his sword, and, cutting a deep wound in 
the breast of both, he went to the horsemen and said* “The deed 

67 , 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 



is done; I have given each his death-stroke; but it was a tough 
job, for in their defence they uprooted trees to protect them- 
selves with; still, all that is of no use when such an one as I 
come, who slew seven at one stroke. ,, 

“And are you not wounded?” they asked. 

“How can you ask me that? they have not injured a hair 
of my head,” replied the little man. The knights could hardly 
believe him, till, riding into the forest, they found the Giants 
lying dead, and the uprooted trees around them. 

Then the Tailor demanded the promised reward of the King; 
but he repented of his promise, and began to think of some new 
plan to shake off the hero. “Before you receive my daughter 
and the half of my kingdom,” said he to him, “you must execute 
another brave deed. In the forest there lives a unicorn that com- 
mits great damage, you must first catch him.” 

“I fear a unicorn less than I did two Giants ! Seven at one 
68 


THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR 

blow is my motto,” said the Tailor. So he carried with him a 
rope and an axe and went off to the forest, ordering those, who 
were told to accompany him, to wait on the outskirts. He had 
not to hunt long, for soon the unicorn approached, and prepared 
to rush at him as if it would pierce him on the spot. “Steady I 
steady!” he exclaimed, “that is not done so easily”; and, wait- 
ing till the animal was close upon him, he sprang nimbly behind 
a tree. The unicorn, rushing with all its force against the tree, 
stuck its horn so fast in the trunk that it could not pull it out 
again, and so it remained prisoner. 

“Now I have got him,” said the Tailor; and coming from 
behind the tree, he first bound the rope around its neck, and then 
cutting the horn out of the tree with his axe, he arranged every- 
thing, and, leading the unicorn, brought it before the King. 

The King, however, would not yet deliver over the prom- 
ised reward, and made a third demand, that, before the marriage, 
the Tailor should capture a wild boar which did much damage, 
and he should have the huntsmen to help him. “With pleasure,” 
was the reply; “it is a mere nothing.” The huntsmen, however, 
he left behind, to their great joy, for this wild boar had already 
so often hunted them, that they saw no fun in now hunting it. 
As soon as the boar perceived the Tailor, it ran at him with 
gaping mouth and glistening teeth, and tried to throw him down 
on the ground; but our flying hero sprang into a little chapel 
which stood near, and out again at a window, on the other side, 
in a moment. The boar ran after him, but he, skipping around, 
closed the door behind it, and there the furious beast was caught, 
for it was much too unwieldy and heavy to jump out of the 
window. 

The Tailor now ordered the huntsmen up, that they might 
see his prisoner with their own eyes; but our hero presented 
himself before the King, who was obliged at last, whether he 

69 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


would or no, to keep his word, and surrender his daughter and 
the half of his kingdom. 

If he had known that it was no warrior, but only a Tailor, 
who stood before him, it would have grieved him still more. 

So the wedding was celebrated with great magnificence, 



though with little rejoicing, and out of a Tailor there was made 
a King. 

A short time afterwards the young Queen heard her hus- 
band talking in his sleep, saying, “Boy, make me a coat, and 
then stitch up these trowsers, or I will lay the yard-measure over 
your shoulders!” Then she understood of what condition her 
husband was, and complained in the morning to her father, and 
begged he would free her from her husband, who was nothing 
more than a tailor. The King comforted her by saying, “This 
night leave your chamber-door open ; my servants shall stand out- 

70 


THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR 


side, and when he is asleep they shall come in, bind him, and 
carry him away to a ship, which shall take him out into the wide 
world.” The wife was pleased with the proposal ; but the King’s 
armor-bearer, who had overheard all, went to the young King 
and revealed the whole plot. “I will soon put an end to this 
affair,” said the valiant little Tailor. In the evening at their 
usual time they went to bed, and when his wife thought he slept 
she got up, opened the door, and laid herself down again. 

The Tailor, however, only pretended to be asleep, and be- 
gan to call out in a loud voice, “Boy, make me a coat, and then 
stitch up these trowsers, or I will lay the yard-measure about 
your shoulders. Seven have I slain with one blow, two Giants 
have I killed, a unicorn have I led captive, and a wild boar have 
I caught, and shall I be afraid of those who stand outside my 
room?” 

When the men heard these words spoken by the Tailor, a 
great fear came over them, and they ran away as if wild hunts- 
men were following them ; neither afterwards dared any man ven- 
ture to oppose him. Thus the Tailor became a King, and so 
he lived for the rest of his life. 



LITTLE RED-CAP 


M ANY years ago there lived a dear little girl who was 
beloved by every one who knew her; but her grand- 
mother was so very fond of her that she never felt 
she could think and do enough to please this dear grand-daugh- 
ter, and she presented the little girl with a red silk cap, which 
suited her so well, that she would never wear anything else, and 
so was called Little Red-Cap. 

One day Red-Cap’s mother said to her, “Come, Red-Cap, 
here is a nice piece of meat, and a bottle of wine: take these to 
your grandmother; she is weak and ailing, and they will do her 
good. Be there before she gets up ; go quietly and carefully.” 

The grandmother lived far away in the wood, a long walk 
from the village, and as Little Red-Cap came among the trees she 
met a Wolf; but she did not know what a wicked animal it was, 
and so she was not at all frightened. “Good morning, Little 
Red-Cap,” he said. 

“Thank you, Mr. Wolf,” said she. 

“Where are you going so early, Little Red-Cap?” 

“To my grandmother’s,” she answered. 

“And what are you carrying in that basket?” 

“Some wine and meat,” she replied. “We baked the meat 
yesterday, so that grandmother, who is very weak, might have 
a nice strengthening meal.” 

“And where does your grandmother live?” asked the Wolf. 
“Oh, quite twenty minutes walk further in the forest. The 
cottage stands under three great oak trees ; and close by are some 
nut bushes, by which you will at once know it.” 

The Wolf was thinking to himself, “She is a nice tender 
72 





% 


The Valiant Little Tailor 









LITTLE RED-CAP, 

thing, and will taste better than the old woman ; I must act clev- 
erly, that I may make a meal of both.” 

Presently he came up again to Little Red-Cap, and said, 
“Just look at the beautiful flowers which grow around you; why 
do you not look about you? I believe you don’t hear how sweetly 
the birds are singing. You walk as if you were going to school; 
see how cheerful everything is about you in the forest.” 

And Little Red-Cap opened her eyes; and when she saw 
how the sunbeams glanced and danced through the trees, and 
what bright flowers were blooming in her path, she thought, “If 
I take my grandmother a fresh nosegay, she will be very much 
pleased; and it is so very early that I can, even then, get there 
in good time;” and running into the forest, she looked about for 
flowers. But when she had once begun she did not know how 
to leave off, and kept going deeper and deeper amongst the trees 
looking for some still more beautiful flower. The Wolf, how- 
ever, ran straight to the house of the old grandmother, and 
knocked at the door. 

“Who’s there?” asked the old lady. 

“Only Little Red-Cap, bringing you some meat and wine; 
please open the door,” answered the Wolf. “Lift up the latch,” 
cried the grandmother; “I am much too ill to get up myself.” 

So the Wolf lifted the latch, and the door flew open; and 
without a word, he jumped on to the bed, and gobbled up the 
poor old lady. Then he put on her clothes, and tied her night- 
cap over his head; got into the bed, and drew the blankets over 
him. All this time Red-Cap was gathering flowers; and when 
she had picked as many as she could carry, she thought of her 
grandmother, and hurried to the cottage. She wondered greatly 
to find the door open; and when she got into the room, she began 
to feel very ill, and exclaimed, “How sad I feel ! I wish I had 
not come to-day.” Then she said, “Good morning,” but received 

n 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


no reply; so she went up to the bed, and drew back the curtains, 
and there lay her grandmother, as she imagined, with the cap 
drawn half over her eyes, and looking very fierce. 

“Oh, grandmother, what great ears you have!” she said. 

“All the better to hear you with,” was the reply. 

“And what great eyes you have!” 

“All the better to see you with.” 

“And what great hands you have!” 

“All the better to touch you with.” 

“But, grandmother, what very great teeth you have!” 

“All the better to eat you with ;” and hardly were the words 
spoken when the Wolf made a jump out of bed, and swallowed 
up poor Little Red-Cap also. 

As soon as the Wolf had thus satisfied his hunger, he laid 
himself down again on the bed, and went to sleep and snored 
very loudly. A huntsman passing by overheard him, and said, 
“How loudly that old woman scores ! I must see if anything is 
the matter.” 

So he went into the cottage; and when he came to the bed, 
he saw the Wolf sleeping in it. “What! are you here, you old 
rascal? I have been looking for you,” exclaimed he; and taking 
up his gun, he shot the old Wolf through the head. 

But it is also said that the story ends in a different manner ; 
for that one day, when Red-Cap was taking some presents to her 
grandmother, a Wolf met her, and wanted to mislead her; but 
she went straight on, and told her grandmother that she had met 
a Wolf, who said good day, and who looked so hungrily out of 
his great eyes, as if he would have eaten her up had she not been 
on the high-road. 

So her grandmother said, “We will shut the door, and then 
he cannot get in.” Soon after, up came the Wolf, who tapped, 
and exclaimed, “I am Little Red-Cap, grandmother; I have some 

74 


LITTLE RED-CAP 

roast meat for you.” But they kept quite quiet, and did not open 
the door; so the Wolf, after looking several times round 
the house, at last jumped on the roof, thinking to wait till Red- 
Cap went home in the evening, and then to creep after her and 
eat her in the darkness. The old woman, however, saw what the 
villain intended. There stood before the door a large stone 
trough, and she said to Little Red-Cap, “Take this bucket, dear: 
yesterday I boiled some meat in this water, now pour it into the 
stone trough.” Then the Wolf sniffed the smell of the meat, 
and his mouth watered, and he wished very much to taste. At 
last he stretched his neck too far over, so that he lost his bal- 
ance, and fell down from the roof, right into the great trough 
below, and there he was drowned. 



THE GOLDEN GOOSE 


T HERE was once a man who had three sons. The young- 
est was called Dummerly, and was on all occasions 
scorned and ill-treated by the whole family. It happened 
that the eldest took it into his head one day to go into the forest 
to cut wood; and his mother gave him a delicious meat pie and 
a bottle of wine to take with him, that he might sustain himself 
at his work. As he went into the forest, a little old man bid him 
good day, and said, “Give me a little bit of meat from your 
plate, and a little wine out of your flask; I am very hungry and 
thirsty.” But this clever young man said, “Give you my meat 
and wine! No, I thank you; there would not be enough left 
for me;” and he went on his way. He soon began to chop down 
a tree ; but he had not worked long before he missed his stroke, 
and cut himself, and was obliged to go home and have the wound 
bound up. Now, it was the little old man who caused him this 
mischief. 

Next the second son went out to work; and his mother gave 
him, too, a meat pie and a bottle of wine. And the same little 
old man encountered him also, and begged him for something to 
eat and drink. But he, too, thought himself extremely clever, and 
said, “Whatever you get, I shall be without; so go your way!” 
The little man made sure that he should have his reward; and 
the second stroke that he struck at a tree, hit him on the leg, so 
that he too was compelled to go home. 

Then Dummerly said, “Father, I should like to go and cut 
fuel too.” But his father replied, “Your brothers have both 
maimed themselves; you had better stop at home, for you know 
nothing of the job.” But Dummerly was very urgent; and at 

76 


THE GOLDEN GOOSE 


last his father said, “Go your way; you will be wiser when you 
have suffered for your foolishness/’ And his mother gave him 
only some dry bread, and a bottle of sour ale; but when he went 
into the forest, he met the little old man, who said, “Give me some 
meat and drink, for I am very hungry and thirsty.” Dummerly 
said, “I have nothing but dry bread and sour beer; if that will 
do for you, we will sit down and eat it together.” So they sat 
down, and when the lad took out his bread, behold it was turned 
into a splendid meat pie, and his sour beer became delicious 
wine ! They ate and drank heartily, and when they had 
finished, the little man said, “As you have a kind heart, and have 
been willing to share everything with me I will bring good to 
you. There stands an old 
tree; chop it down, and you 
will find something at the 
root.” Then he took 
his leave and went his 
way. 

Dummerly set to 
work, and cut down the 
tree; and when it fell, 
he discovered in a hol- 
low under the roots a 
goose with plumage of 
pure gold. He took it 
up, and went on to an 
inn, where he proposed 
sleep for the night. 

The landlord had three 
daughters, and when 
they saw the goose, 
they were very curious 



77 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

to find out what this wonderful bird could be, and wished very 
much to pluck one of the feathers out of its tail. At last the 
eldest said, “I must and will have a feather.” So she waited till 
his back was turned, and then caught hold of the goose by the 
wing; but to her great surprise, there she stuck, for neither hand 
nor finger could she pull away again. Presently in came the 
second sister, and thought to have a feather too; but the instant 
she touched her sister, there she too hung fast. At last came the 
third, and desired a feather; but the other two cried out, “Keep 
away! for heaven’s sake, keep away!” However, she did not 
understand what they meant. “If they are there,” thought she, 
“I may as well be there too,” so she went up to them. But the 
moment she touched her sisters she stuck fast, and hung to the 
goose as they did. And so they abode with the goose all night. 

The next morning Dummerly carried off the goose under his 
arm, and took no heed of the three girls, but went out with 
them sticking fast behind; and wherever he journeyed, the three 
were obliged to follow, whether they wished or not, as fast as 
their legs could carry them. 

In the middle of a field the parson met them ; and when he 
saw the procession, he said, “Are you not ashamed of yourselves, 
you bold girls, to run after the young man like that over the 
fields? Is that proper behavior?” 

Then he took the youngest by the hand to lead her away; 
but the moment he touched her he, too, hung fast, and followed 
in the procession. 

Presently up came the clerk; and when he saw his master, 
the parson, running after the three girls, he was greatly surprised, 
and said, “Hollo! hollo! your reverence ! whither so fast ! There 
is a christening to-day.” 

Then he ran up, and caught him by the gown, and instantly 
he was fast too. 


78 


THE GOLDEN GOOSE 


As the five were thus trudging along, one after another, they 
met two laborers w.ith their mattocks coming from work; and 
the parson called out to them to set him free. But hardly had 
they touched him, when they, too, joined the ranks, and so made 
seven, all running after Dummerly and his goose. 

At last they came to a city, where reigned a King who had 
an only daughter. The princess was of so thoughtful and serious 
a turn of mind that no one could make her laugh ; and the King 
had announced to all the world that whoever could make her 
laugh should have her for his wife. When the young man heard 
this, he went to her with the goose and all its followers; and as 
soon as she saw the seven all hanging together, and running 
about, treading on each other’s heels, she could not help burst- 
ing into a long and loud laugh. 

Then Dummerly claimed her for his bride; the wedding 
took place, and he was heir to the kingdom, and lived long and 
happily with his wife. 



79 


BEARSKIN 


T HERE was once upon a time a young fellow who 
enlisted for a soldier, and became so brave and courage- 
ous that he was always in the front ranks when it 
rained blue beans.* As long as the war lasted all went well, 
but when peace was concluded he received his discharge, and 
the captain told him he might go where he liked. His parents 
meanwhile had died, and as he had no longer any home to 
go to he paid a visit to his brothers, and asked them to give 
him shelter until war broke out again. His brothers, However, 
were hard-hearted, and said, “What could we do with you? We 
could make nothing of you; see to what you have brought your- 
self”; and so turned a deaf ear. The poor Soldier had nothing 
but his musket left ; so he mounted this on his shoulder and set 
out on a tramp. By and by he came to a great heath with noth- 
ing on it but a circle of trees, under which he sat down, sor- 
rowfully considering his fate. “I have no money,” thought he; 
“I have learnt nothing but soldiering, and now, since peace is 
concluded, there is no need of me. I see well enough I shall 
have to starve.” All at once he heard a rustling, and as he looked 
round he perceived a stranger standing before him, dressed in 
a gray coat, who looked very stately, but had an ugly cloven 
foot. “I know quite well what you need,” said this being; “gold 
and other possessions you shall have, as much as you can spend ; 
but first I must know whether you are a coward or not, that I 
may not spend my money foolishly.” 

“A soldier and a coward!” replied the other, “that cannot 
be; you may put me to any proof.” 

“Well, then,” replied the stranger, “look behind you.” 

* Small shot. 

80 


BEARSKIN 


The Soldier turned and saw a huge bear, which eyed him 
very ferociously. “Oho!” cried he, “I will tickle your nose for 
you, that you shall no longer be able to grumble”; and, raising 
his musket, he shot the bear in the forehead, so that he tum- 
bled in a heap upon the ground, and did not stir afterward. 
Thereupon the stranger said, “I see quite well that you are not 
wanting in courage; but there is yet one condition which you 
must fulfil.” “If it does not interfere with my future happi- 
ness,” said the Soldier, who had remarked who it was that 
addressed him; “if it does not interfere with that, I shall not 
hesitate.” 

“That you must see about yourself!” said the stranger. “For 
the next seven years you must not wash yourself, nor comb 
your hair or beard, neither must you cut your nails nor say 
one paternoster. Then I will give you this coat and mantle, 
which you must wear during these seven years; and if you die 
within that time you are mine, but if you live you are rich, 
and free all your life long.” 

The Soldier reflected for awhile on his great necessities, 
and, remembering how often he had braved death, he at length 
consented, and ventured to accept the offer. Thereupon the 
Evil One pulled off the gray coat, handed it to the soldier, and 
said, “If you at any time search in the pockets of your coat 
when you have it on, you will always find your hand full of 
money.” Then also he pulled off the skin of the bear, and said, 
“That shall be your cloak and your bed; you must sleep on 
it, and not dare to lie in any other bed, and on this account you 
shall be called ‘Bearskin/ ” Immediately the Evil One disap- 
peared. 

The Soldier now put on the coat, and dipped his hands into 
the pockets, to assure himself of the reality of the transaction. 
Then he hung the bearskin around himself, and went about the 

81 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

world chuckling at his good luck, and buying whatever suited 
his fancy which money could purchase. For the first year his 
appearance was not very remarkable, but in the second he began 
to look quite a monster. His hair covered almost all his face, 
his beard appeared like a piece of dirty cloth, his nails were 
claws, and his countenance was so covered with dirt that one 
might have grown cresses upon it if one had sown seed! Who- 
ever looked at him ran away; but because he gave the poor in 
every place gold coin they prayed that he might not die during 
the seven years; and because he paid liberally everywhere, he 
found a night’s lodging without difficulty. In the fourth year 
he came to an inn where the landlord would not take him in, and 
refused even to give him a place in his stables, lest the horses 
should be frightened and become restive. However, when Bear- 
skin put his hand into his pocket and drew it out full of gold 
ducats the landlord yielded the point, and gave him a place in 
the outbuildings, but not till he had promised that he would not 
show himself, for fear the inn should gain a bad name. 

While Bearskin sat by himself in the evening, wishing from 
his heart that the seven years were over, he heard in the corner 
a loud groan. Now the old Soldier had a compassionate heart, 
so he opened the door and saw an old man weeping violently 
and wringing his hands. Bearskin stepped nearer, but the old 
man jumped up and tried to escape; but when he recognized a 
human voice he let himself be persuaded, and by kind words and 
soothings on the part of the old Soldier he at length disclosed 
the cause of his distress. His property had dwindled away by 
degrees, and he and his daughters would have to starve, for he 
was so poor that he had not the money to pay the host, and 
would therefore be put into prison. 

“If you have no care except that,” replied Bearskin, “I have 
money enough” ; and causing the landlord to be called, he paid 

82 


BEARSKIN 


him, and put a purse full of gold besides into the pocket of 
the old man. The latter, when he saw himself released from 
his troubles, knew not how to be sufficiently grateful, and said 
to the Soldier, “Come with me; my daughters are all wonders 
of beauty, so choose one of them for a wife. When they hear 
what you have done for me they will not refuse you. You 



appear certainly an uncommon man, but they will soon put you 
to rights. ,, 

This speech pleased Bearskin, and he went with the old man. 
As soon as the eldest daughter saw him, she was so terrified at 
his countenance that she shrieked out and ran away. The sec- 
ond one stopped and looked at him from head to foot; but at 
last she said, “How can I take a husband who has not a bit of 
a human countenance? The grizzly bear would have pleased 
me better who came to see us once, and gave himself out as a 

S3 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

man, for he wore a hussar’s hat, and had white gloves on 
besides.” 

But the youngest daughter said, “Dear father, this must be a 
good man who has assisted you out of your troubles; if you have 
promised him a bride for the service your word must be kept.” 

It was a pity the man’s face was covered with dirt and hair, 
else one would have seen how glad at heart these words made 
him. Bearskin took a ring off his finger, broke it in two, and, 
giving the youngest daughter one half, he kept the other for 
himself. On her half he wrote his name, and on his own he 
wrote hers, and begged her to preserve it carefully. Thereupon 
he took leave, saying, “For three years longer I must wander 
about; if I come back again, then we will celebrate our wed- 
ding; but if I do not, you are free, for I shall be dead. But 
pray to God that he will preserve my life.” 

When he was gone the poor bride clothed herself in black, 
and whenever she thought of her bridegroom burst into tears. 
From her sisters she received nothing but scorn and mocking. 
“Pay great attention when he shakes your hand,” said the eldest, 
“and you will see his beautiful claws!” “Take care!” said the 
second, “bears are fond of sweets, and if you please him he will 
eat you up, perhaps!” “You must mind and do his will,” con- 
tinued the eldest, “or he will begin growling!” And the second 
daughter said further, “But the wedding will certainly be merry, 
for bears dance well!” The bride kept silence, and would not 
be drawn from her purpose by all these taunts; and meanwhile 
Bearskin wandered about in the world, doing good where he 
could, and giving liberally to the poor, for which they prayed 
heartily for him. At length the last day of the seven years 
approached, and Bearskin went and sat down again on the heath 
beneath the circle of trees. In a very short time the wind whis- 
tled, and the Evil One presently stood before him and looked 


BEARSKIN 


at him with a vexed face. He threw the Soldier his old coat and 
demanded his gray one back. “We have not got so far as that 
yet,” replied Bearskin; “you must clean me first.” Then the 
Evil One had, whether he liked it or no, to fetch water, wash 
the old Soldier, comb his hair out, and cut his nails. This done, 
he appeared again like a brave warrior, and indeed was much 
handsomer than before. 

As soon as the Evil One had disappeared, Bearskin became 
quite light-hearted; and going into the nearest town he bought a 
fine velvet coat, and hired a carriage drawn by four white horses, 
in which he was driven to the house of his bride. Nobody knew 
him; the father took him for some celebrated general, and led 
him into the room where his daughters were. He was compelled 
to sit down between the two eldest, and they offered him wine, 
and heaped his plate with the choicest morsels ; for they thought 
they had never seen any one so handsome before. But the bride 
sat opposite to him dressed in black, neither opening her eyes 
nor speaking a word. At length the Soldier asked the father 
if he would give him one of his daughters to wife, and imme- 
diately the two elder sisters arose, and ran to their chambers to 
dress themselves out in their most becoming clothes, for each 
thought she should be chosen. Meanwhile the stranger, as soon 
as he found himself alone with his bride, pulled out the half 
of the ring and threw it into a cup of wine, which he handed 
across the table. She took it, and as soon as she had drunk it 
and seen the half ring lying at the bottom her heart beat rap- 
idly, and she produced the other half, which she wore round 
her neck on a riband. She held them together, and they joined 
each other exactly, and the stranger said, “I am your bridegroom, 
whom you first saw as Bearskin; but through God’s mercy I 
have regained my human form, and am myself once more.” 
With these words he embraced and kissed her; and at the same 

85 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


time the two eldest sisters entered in full costume. As soon as 
they saw that the very handsome man had fallen to the share of 
their youngest sister, and heard that he was the same as “Bear- 
skin,” they ran out of the house full of rage and jealousy. 



86 


CINDERELLA 


T HE wife of a rich man fell sick: and when she felt that 
her end drew nigh, she called her only daughter to her 
bedside, and said, “Always be a good girl, and I will 
look down from heaven and watch over you.” Soon afterwards 
she shut her eyes and died, and was buried in the garden; and 
the little girl went every day to her grave and wept, and was 
always good and kind to all about her. And the snow spread 
a beautiful white covering over the grave; but by the time the 
sun had melted it away again, her father had married another 
wife. This new wife had two daughters of her own : they were 
fair in face but foul at heart, and it was now a sorry time 
for the poor little girl. “What does the good-for-nothing thing 
want in the parlor?” said they; and they took away her fine 
clothes, and gave her an old frock to put on, and laughed at her 
and turned her into the kitchen. 

Then she was forced to do hard work ; to rise early, before 
daylight, to bring the water, to make the fire, to cook and to 
wash. She had no bed to lie down on, but was made to lie by 
the hearth among the ashes, and they called her Cinderella. 

It happened once that her father was going to the fair, and 
asked his wife’s daughters what he should bring to them. “Fine 
clothes,” said the first. “Pearls and diamonds,” said the second. 
“Now, child,” said he to his own daughter, “what will you 
have?” “The first sprig, dear father, that rubs against your hat 
on your way home,” said she. Then he bought for the two first 
the fine clothes and pearls and diamonds they had asked for : and 
on his way home, as he rode through a green copse, a sprig of 
hazel brushed against him, so he broke it off and when he got 

87 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


home he gave it to his daughter. Then she took it, and went 
to her mother’s grave and planted it there, and cried so much 
that it was watered with her tears; and there it grew and be- 
came a fine tree, and soon a little bird came and built its nest 
upon the tree, and talked with her and watched over her, and 
brought her whatever she wished for. 

Now it happened that the king of the land held a feast 
which was to last three days, and out of those who came to it 
his son was to choose a bride for himself; and Cinderella’s two 
sisters were asked to come. So they called Cinderella, and said, 
“Now, comb our hair, brush our shoes, and tie our sashes for 
us, for we are going to dance at the king’s feast.” Then she 
did as she was told, but when all was done she could not help 
crying, for she thought to herself, she would have liked to go 
to the dance too, and at last she begged her mother very hard 
to let her go, “You! Cinderella?” said she; “you who have 
nothing to wear, no clothes at all, and who cannot even dance 
— you want to go to the ball?” And when she kept on beg- 
ging, to get rid of her, she said at last, “I will throw this basin- 
ful of peas into the ash heap, and if you have picked them all 
out in two hours’ time you shall go to the feast too.” Then 
she threw the peas into the ashes; but the little maiden ran out 
at the back door into the garden, and cried out — 

“Hither, thither, through the sky, turtle-doves and linnets, fly! 

Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, hither, thither, haste away! 

One and all, come, help me quick! haste ye, haste ye — pick, pick, 
pick!” 

Then first came two white doves; and next two turtle-doves; 
and after them all the little birds under heaven came, and the 
little doves stooped their heads down and set to work, pick, 
pick, pick; and then the others began to pick, pick, pick, and 


CINDERELLA 

picked out all the good grain and put it into a dish, and left the 
ashes. At the end of one hour the work was done, and all flew 
out again at the windows. Then she brought the dish to her 
mother. But the mother said, “No, no! indeed, you have no 
clothes and cannot dance ; you shall not go.” And when Cin- 
derella begged very hard to go, she said, “If you can in one 
hour’s time pick two of these dishes of pease out of the ashes, 
you shall go too.” So she shook two dishes of peas into the 
ashes; but the little maiden went out into the garden at the 
back of the house, and called as before and all the birds came 
flying, and in half an hour’s time all was done, and out they 
flew again. And then Cinderella took the dishes to her mother, 
rejoicing to think that she should now go to the ball. But her 
mother said, “It is all of no use, you cannot go; you have no 
clothes, and cannot dance; and you would only put us to 
shame ;” and off she went with her two daughters to the feast. 

Now when all were gone, and nobody left at home, Cin- 
derella went sorrowfully and sat down under the hazel-tree, and 
cried out — 

“Shake, shake, hazel-tree, gold and silver over me!” 

Then her friend the bird flew out of the tree and brought 
a gold and silver dress for her, and slippers of spangled silk; 
and she put them on, and followed her sisters to the feast. But 
they did not know her, she looked so fine and beautiful in her 
rich clothes. 

The king’s son soon came up to her, and took her by the 
hand and danced with her and no one else; and he never left 
her hand, but when any one else came to ask her to dance, he 
said, “This lady is dancing with me.” Thus they danced till 
a late hour of the night, and then she wanted to go home; and 
the king’s son said, “I shall go and take care of you to your 

89 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


home,” for he wanted to see where the beautiful maid lived. 
But she slipped away from him unawares, and ran off towards 
home, and the prince followed her; then she jumped up into the 
pigeon-house and shut the door. So he waited till her father 
came home, and told him that the unknown maiden who had 



been at the feast had hidden herself in the pigeon-house. But 
when they had broken open the door they found no one within; 
and as they came back into the house, Cinderella lay, as she 
always did, in her dirty frock by the ashes; for she had run as 
quickly as she could through the pigeon-house and on to the 
hazel-tree, and had there taken off her beautiful clothes, and 
laid them beneath the tree, that the bird might carry them away; 

90 



CINDERELLA 

and had seated herself amid the ashes again in her little old 
frock. 

The next day, when the feast was again held, and her father, 
mother and sisters were gone, Cinderella went to the hazel-tree, 
and all happened as the evening before. 

The king’s son, who was waiting for her, took her by the 
hand and danced with her; and, when any one asked her to 
dance, he said as before, “This lady is dancing with me.” When 
night came she wanted to go home; and the king’s son went 
with her, but she sprang away from him all at once into the 
garden behind her father’s house. In this garden stood a fine 
large pear-tree ; and Cinderella jumped up into it without being 
seen. Then the king’s son waited till her father came home, 
and said to him, “The unknown lady has slipped away, and I 
think she must have sprung into the pear-tree.” The father 
ordered an axe to be brought, and they cut down the tree, but 
found no one upon it. And when they came back into the 
kitchen, there lay Cinderella in the ashes as usual; for she 
had slipped down on the other side of the tree, and carried her 
beautiful clothes back to the bird at the hazel-tree, and then put 
on her little old frock. 

The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were 
gone, she went again into the garden, and said — 

“Shake, shake, hazel-tree, gold and silver over me!” 

Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer 
than the former one, and slippers which were all of gold; and 
the king’s son danced with her alone, and when any one else 
asked her to dance, he said, “This lady is my partner.” , Now 
when night came she wanted to go home; and the king’s son 
would go with her, but she managed to slip away from him, 

9 ! 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

though in such a hurry that she dropped her left golden slipper 
upon the stairs. 

So the prince took the shoe, and went the next day to the 
king, his father, and said, “I will take for my wife the lady that 
this golden shoe fits.” 

Then both the sisters were overjoyed to hear this; for they 
had beautiful feet, and had no doubt that they could wear the 
golden slipper. The eldest went first into the room where the 
slipper was, and wanted to try it on, and the mother stood by. 
But her big toe could not go into it, and the shoe was altogether 
much too small for her. Then the mother said, “Never mind, 
cut it off. When you are queen you will not care about toes; 
you will not want to go on foot.” So the silly girl cut her big 
toe off, and squeezed the shoe on, and went to the king’s son. 
Then he took her for his bride, and rode away with her. 

But on their way home they had to pass by the hazel-tree 
that Cinderella had planted, and there sat a little dove on the 
branch, singing — 

“Back again ! back again ! look to the shoe! 

The shoe is too small, and not made for you! 

Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, 

For she’s not the true one that sits by thy side.” 

Then the prince looked at her foot, and saw by the blood 
that streamed from it what a trick she had played him. So he 
brought the false bride back to her home, and said, “This is 
not the right bride ; let the other sister try and put on the slip- 
per.” Then she went into the room and got her foot into the 
shoe, all but the heel, which was too large. But her mother 
squeezed it in till the blood came, and took her to the king’s 
son; and he rode away with her. But when they came to the 
hazel-tree, the little dove sat there still, and sang as before. 

92 


CINDERELLA 


Then the king’s son looked down, and saw that the blood 
streamed from the shoe. So he brought her back again also. “This 
is not the true bride,” said he to the father; “have you no other 
daughters?” 

Then Cinderella came and she took her clumsy shoe off, and 
put on the golden slipper, and it fitted as if it had been made for 
her. And when he drew near and looked at her face the prince 
knew her, and said, “This is the right bride.” 

Then he took Cinderella on his horse and rode away. And 
when they came to the hazel-tree the white dove sang — 

“Prince! prince! take home thy bride, 

For she is the true one that sits by thy side!” 



93 




FAITHFUL JOHN 

O NCE upon a time there lived an old King, who fell 
very sick, and thought he was lying upon his death- 
bed; so he said, “Let faithful John come to me.” This 
faithful John was his affectionate servant, and was so called 
because he had been true to him all his lifetime. As soon as 
John came to the bedside, the King said, “My faithful John, 
I feel that my end approaches, and I have no other care than 
about my son, who is still so young that he cannot always guide 
himself aright. If you do not promise to instruct him in every- 
thing he ought to know, and to be his guardian, I cannot close 
my eyes in peace.” Then John answered, “I will never leave 
him; I will always serve him truly, even if it costs me my life.” 
So the old King was comforted, and said, “Now I can die in 
peace. After my death you must show him all the chambers, 
halls, and vaults in the castle, and all the treasures which are 
in them; but the last room in the long corridor you must not' 
show him, for in it hangs the portrait of the daughter of the 
King of the Golden Palace; if he sees her picture, he will 
conceive a great love for her, and will fall down in a swoon, 
and on her account undergo great perils, therefore you must 
keep him away.” The faithful John pressed his master’s hand 
again in token of assent, and soon after the King laid his head 
upon the pillow and expired. 

After the old King had been borne to his grave, the faith- 
ful John related to the young King all that his father had said 
upon his death-bed, and declared, “All this I will certainly 
fulfil; I will be as true to you as I was to him, if it costs me 
my life.” JVhen the time of mourning was passed, John said 

94 


FAITHFUL JOHN 

to the young King, “It is now time for you to see your in- 
heritance; I will show you your paternal castle.” So he led the 
King all over it, upstairs and downstairs, and showed him all 
the riches, and all the splendid chambers; only one room he 
did not open, containing the perilous portrait, which was so 
placed that one saw it directly the door was opened, and, more- 
over, it was so beautifully painted that one thought it breathed 
and moved; nothing in all the world could be more lifelike or 
more beautiful. The young King remarked, however, that the 
faithful John always passed by one door, so he asked, “Why 
do you not open that one?” “There is something in it,” he 
replied, “which will frighten you.” 

But the King said, “I have seen all the rest of the castle, 
and I will know what is in there,” and he went and tried to 
open the door by force. The faithful John pulled him back, and 
said, “I promised your father before he died that you should 
not see the contents of that room; it would bring great misfor- 
tunes both upon you and me.” 

“Oh, no,” replied the young King, “if I do not go in it 
will be my certain ruin; I should have no peace night nor day 
until I had seen it with my own eyes. Now I will not stir 
from the place till you unlock the door.” 

Then the faithful John saw that it was of no use talking; 
so, with a heavy heart and many sighs, he picked the key out 
of the great bunch. When he had opened the door, he went in 
first, and thought he would cover up the picture, that the King 
should not see it; but it was of no use, for the King stepped 
upon tiptoes and looked over his shoulder; and as soon as he 
saw the portrait of the maiden, which was so beautiful and glit- 
tered with precious stones, he fell down on the ground insen- 
sible. The faithful John lifted him up and carried him to his 
bed, and thought with great concern, “Mercy on us! the misfor- 

95 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


tune has happened; what will come of it?” and he gave the 
young King wine until he came to himself. The first words 
he spoke were, “Who does that beautiful picture represent?” 
“That is the daughter of the King of the Golden Palace,” was 
the reply. 

“Then,” said the King, “my love for her is so great that if 
all the leaves on the trees had tongues, they should not gainsay 
it; my life is set upon the search for her. You are my faithful 
John, you must accompany me.” 

The trusty servant deliberated for a long while how to set 
about this business, for it was very difficult to get into the 
presence of the King’s daughter. At last he bethought himself 
of a way, and said to the King, “Everything which she has 
around her is of gold — chairs, tables, dishes, bowls, and all the 
household utensils. Among your treasures are five tons of gold; 
let one of the goldsmiths of your kingdom manufacture vessels 
and utensils of all kinds therefrom — all kinds of birds, and wild 
and wonderful beasts, such as will please her, then we will travel 
with these, and try our luck.” Then the King summoned all his 
goldsmiths, who worked day and night until many very beau- 
tiful things were ready. When all had been placed on board a 
ship, the faithful John put on merchant’s clothes, and the King 
likewise, so that they might travel quite unknown. Then they 
sailed over the wide sea, and sailed away until they came to the 
city where dwelt the daughter of the King of the Golden Palace. 

The faithful John told the King to remain in the ship, and 
wait for him. “Perhaps,” said he, “I shall bring the King’s 
daughter with me ; therefore take care that all is in order, and 
set out the golden vessels and adorn the whole ship.” There- 
upon John placed in a napkin some of the golden cups, stepped 
upon land, and went straight to the King’s palace. When he 
came into the castle yard, a beautiful maid stood by the brook, 

96 


FAITHFUL JOHN 

who had two golden pails in her hand, drawing water; and 
when she had filled them and had turned round, she saw a 
strange man, and asked who he was. Then John answered, “I 
am a merchant”; and opening his napkin he showed her its 
contents. Then she exclaimed, “Oh, what beautiful golden 
things!” and, setting the pails down, she looked at the cups 
one after another, and said, “The King’s daughter must see 



these; she is so pleased with anything made of gold that she 
will buy all these.” And taking him by the hand, she led him 
in; for she was the lady’s maid. When the King’s daughter saw 
the golden cups, she was much pleased, and said, “They are 
so finely worked that I will purchase them all.” But the faith- 
ful John replied, “I am only the servant of a rich merchant; 
what I have here is nothing in comparison to those which my 
master has in his ship, than which nothing more delicate or 

97 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

costly has ever been worked in gold.” Then the King’s 
daughter wished to have them all brought; but he said, “It 
would take many days, and so great is the quantity that your 
palace has not halls enough in it to place them around.” Then 
her curiosity and desire were still more excited, and at last she 
said, “Take me to the ship; I will go myself and look at your 
master’s treasure.” 

The faithful John conducted her to the ship with great joy, 
and the King, when he beheld her, saw that her beauty was still 
greater than the picture had represented, and thought nothing 
else but that his heart would jump out of his mouth. Presently 
she stepped on board, and the King conducted her below; but 
the faithful John remained on deck by the steersman, and told 
him to unmoor the ship and put on all the sail he could, that it 
might fly as a bird through the air. Meanwhile the King 
showed the Princess all the golden treasures — the dishes, cups, 
bowls, the birds, the wild and wonderful beasts. Many hours 
passed away while she looked at everything, and in her joy she 
did not remark that the ship sailed on and on. As soon as she 
had looked at the last, and thanked the merchant, she wished 
to depart. But when she came on deck, she perceived that 
they were upon the high sea, far from the shore, and were 
hastening on with all sail. “Ah,” she exclaimed in affright, “I 
am betrayed; I am carried off and taken away in the power 
of a strange merchant. I would rather die!” 

But the King, taking her by the hand, said, “I am not a 
merchant, but a king, thine equal in birth. It is true that I 
have carried thee off; but that is because of my overwhelming 
love for thee. Dost thou know that when I first saw the por- 
trait of thy beauteous face I fell down in a swoon before it?” 
When the King’s daughter heard these words, she was reassured, 
and her heart was inclined toward him, so that she willingly 

98 


FAITHFUL JOHN 

became his bride. While they thus went on their voyage on the 
high sea, it happened that the faithful John, as he sat on the 
deck of the ship, playing music, saw three crows in the air, who 
came flying toward them. He stopped playing, and listened to 
what they were saying to each other, for he understood them 
perfectly. The first one exclaimed, “There he is, carrying home 
the daughter of the King of the Golden Palace.” “But he is 
not home yet,” replied the second. “But he has her,” said the 
third; “she is sitting by him in the ship.” Then the first began 
again, and exclaimed, “What matters that? When they go on 
shore a fox-colored horse will spring toward them, on which he 
will mount; and as soon as he is on it, it will jump up with 
him into the air, so that he will never again see his bride.” 
The second one asked, “Is there no escape?” “Oh, yes, if 
another mounts behind quickly, and takes out the firearms which 
are in the holster, and with them shoots the horse dead, then 
the young King will be saved. But who knows that? And if 
any one does know it, and tells him, such a one will be turned 
to stone from the toe to the knee.” Then the second spoke 
again, “I know still more; if the horse should be killed, the 
young King will not then retain his bride ; for when they come 
into the castle a beautiful bridal shirt will lie there upon a 
dish, and seem to be woven of gold and silver, but it is nothing 
but sulphur and pitch, and if he puts it on it will burn him to 
his marrow and bones.” Then the third Crow asked, “Is there 
no escape?” “Oh, yes,” answered the second, “if some one 
takes up the shirt with his glove on, and throws it into the fire, 
so that it is burnt, the young King will be saved. But what 
does that signify? Whoever knows it, and tells him, will be 
turned to stone from his knee to his heart.” Then the third 
Crow spoke: “I know still more: even if the bridal shirt be 
consumed, still the young King will not retain his bride. For 

99 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


if, after the wedding, a dance is held, while the young Queen 
dances she will suddenly turn pale, and fall down as if dead; 
and if some one does not raise her up, and take three drops 
of blood from her right breast and throw them away, she will 
die. But whoever knows that, and tells it, will have his whole 
body turned to stone, from the crown of his head to the toes 
of his feet.” 

After the crows had thus talked with one another, they flew 
away, and the trusty John, who had perfectly understood all 
they had said, was from that time very quiet and sad; for if 
he concealed from his master what he had heard, misfortune 
would happen to him, and if he told him all he must give up 
his own life. But at last he thought, “I will save my master, 
even if I destroy myself.” 

As soon as they came on shore, it happened just as the Crow 
had foretold, and an immense fox-red horse sprang up. “Capi- 
tal!” said the King, “this shall carry me to my castle,” and 
he tried to mount; but the faithful John came straight up, and 
swinging himself quickly on, drew the firearms out of the holster 
and shot the horse dead. Then the other servants of the King, 
who were not on good terms with the faithful John, exclaimed, 
“How shameful to kill the beautiful creature, which might have 
borne the King to the castle!” But the King replied, “Be 
silent, and let him go; he is my very faithful John — who knows 
the good he may have done?” Now they went into the castle, 
and there stood a dish in the hall, and the splendid bridal shirt 
lay in it, and seemed nothing else than gold and silver. The 
young King went up to it and wished to take it up, but the 
faithful John pushed him away, and taking it up with his gloves 
on, bore it quickly to the fire and let it burn. The other ser- 
vants thereupon began to murmur, saying, “See, now he is 
burning the King’s bridal shirt!” But the young King replied, 

ioq 


FAITHFUL JOHN 

“Who knows what good he has done? Let him alone — he is 
my faithful John.” 

Soon after, the wedding was celebrated, and a grand ball 
was given, and the bride began to dance. So the faithful John 
paid great attention, and watched her countenance; all at once 
she grew pale, and fell as if dead to the ground. Then he 
sprang up hastily, raised her up and bore her to a chamber, 
where he laid her down, kneeled beside her, 
and drawing the three drops of blood out of 
her right breast, threw them away. As soon 
as she breathed again, she raised herself up ; 
but the young King had witnessed every- 
thing, and not knowing why the faithful 
John had done this was very angry, and 
called out, “Throw him into prison!” 

The next morning the trusty John was 
brought up for trial, and led to the 
gallows; and as he stood upon them, 
and was about to be executed, he said, 



101 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

“Every one condemned to die may once before his death speak. 
Shall I also have that privilege?” “Yes,” answered the King, 
“it shall be granted you.” Then the faithful John replied, “I 
have been unrighteously judged, and have always been true to 
you”; and he narrated the conversation of the crows which he 
heard at sea; and how, in order to save his master, he was 
obliged to do all he had done. Then the King cried out, “Oh, 
my most trusty John, pardon, pardon; lead him away!” But the 
trusty John had fallen down at the last word and was turned 
into stone. 

At this event both the King and the Queen were in great 
grief, and the King thought, “Ah, how wickedly have I re- 
warded his great fidelity!” and he had the stone statue raised 
up and placed in his sleeping-chamber, near his bed; and as 
often as he looked at it, he wept and said, “Ah, could I bring 
you back to life again, my faithful John!” 

After some time had passed, the Queen bore twins, two 
little sons, who were her great joy. Once, when the Queen 
was in church, and the two children at home playing by their 
father’s side, he looked up at the stone statue full of sorrow, 
and exclaimed with a sigh, “Ah, could I restore you to life, my 
faithful John!” At these words the statue began to speak, say- 
ing, “Yes, you can make me alive again, if you will bestow on 
me that which is dearest to you.” The King replied, “All that 
I have in the world I will give up for you.” The statue spake 
again: “If you, with your own hand, cut off the heads of both 
your children, and sprinkle me with their blood, I shall be 
brought to life again.” The King was terrified when he heard 
that he must himself kill his two dear children; but he remem- 
bered his servant’s great fidelity, and how the faithful John had 
died for him, and drawing his sword he cut off the heads of 
both his children with his own hand. And as soon as he had 

102 


FAITHFUL JOHN 

sprinkled the statue with blood, life came back to it, and the 
trusty John stood again alive and well before him, and said, 
“Your ifaith shall not go unrewarded” ; and taking the heads of 
the two children he set them on again, and anointed their 
wounds with their blood, and thereupon they healed again in 
a moment, and the children sprang away and played as if 
nothing had happened. 

Now the King was full of happiness, and as soon as he 
saw the Queen coming, he hid the faithful John and both the 
children in a great closet. As soon as she came in he said to 
her, “Have you prayed in the church?” “Yes,” she answered; 
“but I thought continually of the faithful John, who has come 
to such misfortune through us.” Then he replied, “My dear 
wife, we can restore his life again to him, but it will cost us 
both our little sons, whom we must sacrifice.” The Queen be- 
came pale and was terrified at heart, but she said, “We are guilty 
of his life on account of his great fidelity.” Then he was very 
glad that she thought as he did, and going up to the closet, he 
unlocked it, brought out the children and the faithful John, 
saying, “God be praised! he is saved, and we have still our 
little sons”; and then he told her all that happened. Afterward 
they lived happily together to the end of their days. 



103 


THE WATER OF LIFE 


NCE upon a time there was a King who was so ill that 



everybody despaired of his life, and his three sons were 


very sorry, and went out into the palace gardens to 
weep. There they met an old man, who asked the cause of their 
grief, and they told him their Father was so ill that he must 
die, for nothing could save him. The old Man said, “I know a 
means of saving him: if he drinks of the water of life it will 
restore him to health; but it is very difficult to find/’ 

“I will soon find it,” said the eldest Son, and, going to the 
sick King, he begged his permission to set out in search of the 
water of life, which alone could save him: “No; the danger is 
too great,” said the King; “I prefer to die.” Nevertheless, the 
Son begged and entreated so long that the King consented, and 
the Prince went away, thinking in his own heart, “If I bring 
this water I am the dearest to my Father, and I shall inherit his 
kingdom.” 

After he had ridden a long way he met a Dwarf on the 
road, who asked him, “Whither away so quickly?” 

“You stupid dandyprat,” replied the Prince proudly, “why 
should I tell you that?” and he rode off. But the little Man 
was angry and he wished an evil thing, so that, soon after, the 
Prince came into a narrow mountain-pass, and the farther he 
rode the narrower it grew, till at last it was so close that he 
could get no farther; but neither could he turn his horse round, 
nor dismount, and he sat there like one amazed. Meanwhile 
the sick King waited a long while for him, but he did not come; 
and the second Son asked leave to go too and seek the water, 
forj he thought to himself, “If my Brother is dead the king- 


104 


THE WATER OF LIFE 

dom comes to me.” At first the King refused to spare him, but 
he gave way, and the Prince set out on the same road as the 
elder one had taken, and met also the same Dwarf, who stopped 
him and asked him, “Whither ride you so hastily?” “Little 
dandyprat,” replied the Prince, “what do you want to know 
for?” and he rode off without looking round. The Dwarf, how- 
ever, enchanted him, and it happened to him as it had to his 
Brother: he came to a defile where he could move neither for- 
ward nor backward. Such is the fate of all haughty people. 

Now, when the second Son did not return, the youngest 
begged leave to go and fetch the water, and the King was 
obliged at last to give his consent. When he met the Dwarf, 
and was asked whither he was going so hurriedly, he stopped 
and replied, “I seek the water of life, for my Father is sick 
unto death.” “Do you know where to find it?” asked the 
Dwarf. “No,” replied the Prince. “Since you have behaved 
yourself as you ought,” said the Dwarf, “and not haughtily like 
your false Brothers, I will give you information and show you 
where you may obtain the water of life. It flows from a foun- 
tain in the court of an enchanted castle, into which you can 
never penetrate if I do not give you an iron rod and two loaves 
of bread. With the rod knock thrice at the iron door of the 
castle, and it will spring open. Within lie two lions with open 
jaws, but if you throw down to each a loaf of bread they will 
be quiet. Then hasten and fetch some of the water of life before 
it strikes twelve, for then the door will shut again, and you will 
be imprisoned.” 

The Prince thanked the Dwarf, and, taking the rod and 
bread, he set out on his journey, and as he arrived at the castle 
he found it as the Dwarf had said. At the third knock the door 
sprang open ; and, when he had stilled the lions with the bread, 
he walked into a fine, large hall, where sat several enchanted 

.105 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


Princes, from whose fingers he drew off the rings, and he also 
took away with him a sword and some bread which lay there. 
A little farther on he came to a room wherein stood a beauti- 
ful maiden, who was so pleased to see him that she kissed him 
and said he had freed her, and should have her whole kingdom, 
and if he came in another year their wedding should be cele- 
brated. Then she told him where the fountain of water of life 
was placed, and he hastened away lest it should strike twelve 
ere he gained it. He came next into a room where a fine, clean 
covered bed stood, and, being tired, he lay down to rest himself 
a bit. But he went to sleep, and when he awoke it struck the 
quarter to twelve, and the sound made him hurry to the foun- 
tain, from which he took some water in a cup which stood 
near. This done, he hastened to the door, and was scarcely out 
before it struck twelve, and the door swung to so heavily that 
it carried away a piece of his heel. 

But he was very glad, in spite of this, that he had procured 
the water, and he journeyed homeward, and passed again where 
the Dwarf stood. When the Dwarf saw the sword and bread 
which he had brought away he declared he had done well, for 
with the sword he could destroy whole armies — but the bread 
was worth nothing. Now, the Prince was not willing to return 
home to his Father without his Brothers, and so he said to the 
Dwarf, “Dear Dwarf, can you tell me where my Brothers are? 
They went out before me in search of the water of life, and 
did not return.” “They are stuck fast between two mountains,” 
replied the Dwarf; “because they were so haughty, I enchanted 
them there.” 

Then the Prince begged for their release, till at last the 
Dwarf brought them out; but he warned the youngest to beware 
of them, for they had evil in their hearts. 

JVhen his Brothers came he was very glad, and he related 
106 


THE WATER OF LIFE 

to them all that had happened to him; how he had found the 
water of life and brought away a cupful of it; and how he had 
rescued a beautiful Princess, who for a whole year was going 
to wait for him, and then he was to return to be married to her, 
and receive a rich kingdom. After this tale the three Brothers 
rode away together, and soon entered a province where there 
were war and famine raging, and the King thought he should 
perish, so great was his necessity. The youngest Prince went 
to this King and gave him the bread, with which he fed and 
satisfied his whole people; and then the Prince gave him the 
sword, wherewith he defeated and slew all his enemies, and 
regained peace and quiet. This effected, the Prince took back 
the bread and sword, and rode on farther with his Brothers, and 
by and by they came to two other provinces where also war and 
famine were destroying the people. To each King the Prince 
lent his bread and sword, and so saved three kingdoms. Aftei; 
this they went on board a ship to pass over the sea which sepa- 
rated them from home, and during the voyage the two elder 
Brothers said to one another, “Our Brother has found the water 
of life and we have not; therefore our Father will give the* 
kingdom which belongs to us to him, and our fortune will be 
taken away.” Indulging these thoughts they became so envious 
that they consulted together how they should kill him, and one 
day, waiting till he was fast asleep, they poured the water out 
of his cup and took it for themselves, while they filled his up 
with bitter salt water. As soon as they arrived at home the 
youngest Brother took his cup to the sick King, that he might 
drink out of it and regain his health. But scarcely had he drunk 
a very little of the water when he became worse than before, 
for it was as bitter as wormwood. While the King lay in this 
state, the two elder Princes came, and accused their Brother of 
poisoning their Father; but they had brought the right water, 

107 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


and they handed it to the King. Scarcely had he drunk a 
little out of the cup when the King felt his sickness leave him, 
and soon he was as strong and healthy as in his young days. 
The two Brothers now went to the youngest Prince, mocking 
him, and saying, “You certainly found the water of life; but 
you had the trouble and we had the reward; you should have 
been more cautious and kept your eyes open, for we took your 
cup while you were asleep on the sea ; and, moreover, in a year 

one of us intends to fetch your 
Princess. Beware, however, 
that you betray us not; the 
King will not believe you, and 
if you say a single word your 
life will be lost; but if you re- 
main silent you are safe.” The 
old King, nevertheless, was 
very angry with his youngest 
Son, who had conspired, as he 
believed, against his life. He 
caused his court to be assem- 
bled, and sentence was given to 
the effect that the Prince 
should be secretly shot ; and 
once as he rode out hunt- 





THE WATER OF LIFE 

ing, unsuspicious of any evil, the Huntsman was sent with him! 
to perform the deed. By and by, when they were alone in the 
wood, the Huntsman seemed so sad that the Prince asked him 
what ailed him. The Huntsman replied, “I cannot and yet must 
tell you.” “Tell me boldly what it is,” said the Prince, “I will 
forgive you.” “Ah, it is no other than that I must shoot you, for 
so has the King ordered me,” said the Huntsman, with a deep 
sigh. 

The Prince was frightened, and said, “Let me live, dear 
Huntsman, let me live! I will give you my royal coat and you 
shall give me yours in exchange.” To this the Huntsman readily 
assented, for he felt unable to shoot the Prince, and after they 
had exchanged their clothing the Huntsman returned home, and 
the Prince went deeper into the wood. 

A short time afterward three wagons laden with gold and 
precious stones came to the King’s palace for his youngest Son. 
They were sent by the three Kings in token of gratitude for the 
sword which had defeated their enemies, and the bread which 
had nourished their people. At this arrival the old King said 
to himself, “Perhaps, after all, my Son was guiltless,” and he 
lamented to his courtiers that he had let his Son be killed. But 
the Huntsman cried out, “He lives yet! for I could not find it 
in my heart to fulfil your commands”; and he told the King 
how it had happened. The King felt as if a stone had been 
removed from his heart, and he caused it to be proclaimed every- 
where throughout his dominions that his Son might return and 
would again be taken into favor. 

Meanwhile the Princess had caused a road to be made up 
to her castle of pure shining gold, and she told her attendants 
that whoever should ride straight up this road would be the 
right person, and one whom they might admit into the castle; 
but, on the contrary, whoever should ride up not on the road, 

109 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


but by the side, they were ordered on no account to admit, for 
he was not the right person. When, therefore, the time came 
round which the Princess had mentioned to the youngest Prince, 
the eldest Brother thought he would hasten to her castle and 
announce himself as her deliverer, that he might gain her as a 
bride and the kingdom besides. So he rode away, and when he 



came in front of the castle and saw the fine golden road he 
thought it would be a shame to ride thereon, and so he turned 
to the left hand and rode up out of the road. But as he came 
up to the door the guards told him he was not the right person, 
and he must ride back again. Soon afterward the second Prince 
also set out, and he, likewise, when he came to the golden 
road and his horse set its forefeet upon it, thought it would be 
a pity to travel upon it, so he turned aside to the right hand 

m 


THE WATER OF LIFE 

and went up. When he came to the gate the guards refused 
him admittance, and told him he was not the person expected, 
and so he had to return homeward. The youngest Prince, who 
had all this time been wandering about in the forest, had also 
remembered that the year was up, and soon after his Brothers’ 
departure he appeared before the castle and rode up straight 
on the golden road, for he was so deeply engaged in thinking 
of his beloved Princess that he did not observe it. As soon as 
he arrived at the door it was opened, and the Princess received 
him with joy, saying he was her deliverer and the lord of her 
dominions. Soon after their wedding was celebrated, and when 
it was over the Princess told her husband that his Father had 
forgiven him and desired to see him. Thereupon he rode to the 
old King’s palace, and told him how his Brothers had betrayed 
him while he slept, and had sworn him to silence. When the 
King heard this he would have punished the false Brothers, but 
they had prudently taken themselves off in a ship, and they 
never returned home afterward. 



Ill 


THUMBLING 



'ERE was once a poor peasant who sat in the evening 


by the hearth and poked the fire, and his wife sat and 


A span. Then said he, “How sad it is that we have no 
children! With us all is so quiet, and in other houses it is 
noisy and lively.” 

“Yes,” replied the wife, and sighed, “even if we had only 
one, and it were quite small, and only as big as a thumb, I should 
be quite satisfied, and we would still love it with all our hearts.” 
Now it so happened that their wish was granted and a child 
was given them, but although it was perfect in all its limbs, it 
was no longer than a thumb. Then said they, “It is as we wished 
it to be, and it shall be our dear child;” and because of its size, 
they called it Thumbling. They did not let it want for food, but 
the child did not grow taller, but remained as it had been at the 
first, nevertheless it looked sensibly out of its eyes, and soon 
showed itself to be a wise and nimble creature, for everything 
it did turned out well. 

One day the peasant was getting ready to go into the forest 
to cut wood, when he said as if to himself, “How I wish that 
there was any one who would bring the cart to me!” “Oh, 
father,” cried Thumbling, “I will soon bring the cart; rely on 
that; it shall be in the forest at the appointed time.” The man 
smiled and said, “How can that be done; you are far too small 
to lead the horse by the reins?” “That’s of no consequence, 
father, if my mother will only harness it, I will sit in the horse’s 
ear, and call out to him how he is to go.” “Well,” answered 
the man, “for once we will try it.” 

When the time came, the mother harnessed the horse, and 


112 


THUMBLING 

placed Thumbling in its ear, and then the little creature cried, 
“Gee up, gee up!” 

Then it went quite properly as if with its master, and the 
cart went the right way into the forest. It so happened that just 
as he was turning a corner, and the little one was crying, “Gee 
up,” two strange men came towards him. “My word!” said one 
of them. “What is this? There is a cart coming, and a driver 
is calling to the horse, and still he is not to be seen!” “That 
can’t be right,” said the other, “we will follow the cart and 
see where it stops.” The cart, however, drove right into the 
forest, and exactly to the place where the wood had been cut. 
When Thumbling saw his father, he cried to him, “See, father, 
here I am with the cart; now take me down.” The father got 
hold of the horse with his left hand, and with the right took his 
little son out of the ear. Thumbling sat down quite merrily on 
a straw, but when the two strange men saw him, they did not 
know what to say for astonishment. Then one of them took the 
other aside and said, “Hark, the little fellow would make our 
fortune if we exhibited him in a large town, for money. We 
will buy him.” They went to the peasant and said, “Sell us 
the little man. He shall be well treated with us.” “No,” re- 
plied the father, “he is the apple of my eye, and all the money 
in the world cannot buy him from me.” Thumbling, however, 
when he heard of the bargain, had crept up the folds of his 
father’s coat, placed himself on his shoulder, and whispered in 
his ear. “Father, do give me away; I will soon come back 
again.” Then the father parted with him to the two men for a 
handsome bit of money. “Where do you want to sit?” they said 
to him. “Oh, just set me on the rim of your hat, and then I 
can walk backwards and forwards and look at the country, 
and still not fall down.” They did as he wished, and when 
Thumbling had taken leave of his father, they went away with 

113 


GRIMM'S FAIRY STORIES 

him. They walked until it was dusk, and then the little fellow 
said, “Do take me down; I want to come down.” The man 
took his hat off, and put the little fellow on the ground by the 
wayside, and he leapt and crept about a little between the sods, 
and then he suddenly slipped into a mouse-hole which he had 
sought out. “Good-evening, gentlemen, just go home without 
me,” he cried to them, and mocked them. They ran thither and 



stuck their sticks into the mouse-hole, but it was all lost labor. 
Thumbling crept still farther in, and as it soon became quite 
dark, they were forced to go home with their vexation and their 
empty purses. 

When Thumbling saw that they were gone, he crept back 
out of the subterranean passage. “It is so dangerous to walk on 
the ground in the dark,” said he; “how easily a neck or a leg 
is broken!” Fortunately, he knocked against an empty snail- 

114 


THUMBLING 

shell. “Thank God!” said he. “In that I can pass the night in 
safety,” and got into it. Not long afterwards, when he was just 
going to sleep, he heard two men go by, and one of them was 
saying, “How shall we contrive to get hold of the rich pastor’s 
silver and gold?” “I could tell you that,” cried Thumbling, 
interrupting them. “What was that?” said one of the thieves 
in a fright; “I heard some one speaking.” They stood still 
listening, and Thumbling spoke again and said, “Take me with 
you, and I’ll help you.” 

“But where are you?” “Just look on the ground, and 
observe from where my voice comes,” he replied. There the 
thieves at length found him, and lifted him up. “You little imp, 
how will you help us?” they said. “A great deal,” said he; “I 
will creep into the pastor’s room through the iron bars, and 
will reach out to you whatever you want to have.” “Come, 
then, they said, “and we will see what you can do.” When they 
got to the pastor’s house, Thumbling crept into the room, but 
instantly cried out with all his might, “Do you want to have 
everything that is here?” The thieves were alarmed, and said, 
“But do speak softly, so as not to waken any one!” Thumb- 
ling, however, behaved as if he had not understood this, and 
cried again, “What do you want? Do you want to have every- 
thing that is here?” The cook, who slept in the next room, 
heard this and sat up in bed, and listened. The thieves, how- 
ever, had in their fright run some distance away, but at last 
they took courage, and thought, “The little rascal wants to mock 
us.” They came back and whispered to him, “Come, be serious, 
and reach something out to us.” Then Thumbling again cried 
as loudly as he could, “I really will give you everything, only 
put your hands in.” The maid who was listening, heard this 
quite distinctly, and jumped out of bed and rushed to the door. 
The thieves took flight, and ran as if the Wild Huntsman were 

115 


GRIMM’S FAIRYi STORIES 

behind them, but as the maid could not see anything, she went 
to strike a light. When she came to the place with it, Thum- 
bling, unperceived, hid himself in the granary, and the maid, 
after she had examined every corner and found nothing, lay down 
in her bed again, and believed that, after all, she had only been 
dreaming with open eyes and ears. 

Thumbling had climbed up among the hay and found a 
beautiful place to sleep in; there he intended to rest until day, 
and then go home again to his parents. But he had other 
things to go through. Truly there is much affliction and misery 
in this world! When day dawned, the maid arose from her 
bed to feed the cows. Her first walk was into the barn, where 
she laid hold of an armful of hay, and precisely that very one 
in which poor Thumbling was lying asleep. He, however, was 
sleeping so soundly that he was aware of nothing, and did not 
awake until he was in the mouth of the cow, who had picked 
him up with the hay. “Ah, heavens !” cried he, “how have I got 
into the fulling mill?” but he soon discovered where he was. 
Then it was necessary to be careful not to let himself go be- 
tween the teeth and be dismembered, but he was nevertheless 
forced to slip down into the stomach with the hay. “In this 
little room the windows are forgotten,” said he, “and no sun 
shines in, neither will a candle be brought.” His quarters were 
especially unpleasing to him, and the worst was, more and more 
hay was always coming in by the door, and the space grew less 
and less. Then, at length in his anguish, he cried as loud as 
he could, “Bring me no more fodder, bring me no more fod- 
der.” The maid was just milking the cow, and when she heard 
some one speaking, and saw no one, and perceived that it was 
the same voice that she had heard in the night, she was so ter- 
rified that she slipped off her stool, and spilt the milk. She ran 
in the greatest haste to her master, and said, “Oh, heavens, 

116 


[THUMBLING 

pastor, the cow has been speaking!” “You are mad,” replied 
the pastor ; but he went himself to the byre to see what was there. 
Hardly, however, had he set his foot inside than Thumbling 
again cried, “Bring me no more fodder, bring me no more fod- 
der.” Then the pastor himself was alarmed, and thought that 
an evil spirit had gone into the cow, and ordered her to be 
killed. She was killed, but the stomach, in which Thumbling 
was, was thrown on the midden. Thumbling had great difficulty 
in working his way out; however, he succeeded so far as to get 
some room, but, just as he was going to thrust his head out, 
a new misfortune occurred. A hungry wolf ran thither, and 
swallowed the whole stomach at one gulp. Thumbling did not 
lose courage. “Perhaps,” thought he, “the wolf will listen to 
what I have got to say,” and he called to him from out of his 
stomach, “Dear wolf, I know of a magnificent feast for you.” 

“Where is it to be had?” said the wolf. 

“In such and such a house; you must creep into it through 
the kitchen-sink; you will find cakes, and bacon, and sausages, 
and as much of them as you can eat,” and he described to him 
exactly his father’s house. The wolf did not require to be told 
this twice, squeezed himself in at night through the sink, and 
ate to his heart’s content in the larder. When he had eaten his 
fill, he wanted to go out again, but he had become so big that 
he could not go out by the same way. Thumbling had reck- 
oned on this, and now began to make a violent noise in the 
wolf’s body, and raged and screamed as loudly as he could. 
“Will you be quiet,” said the wolf; “you will waken up the 
people!” “Eh, what,” replied the little fellow, “you have eaten 
your fill, and I will make merry likewise,” and began once more 
to scream with all his strength. At last his father and mother 
were aroused by it, and ran to the room and looked in through 
the opening in the door. When they saw that a wolf was inside, 

117 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


they ran away, and the husband fetched his axe, and the wife 
the scythe. “Stay behind,” said the man, when they entered the 
room. “When I have given him a blow, if he is not killed by 
it, you must cut him down and hew his body to pieces.” Then 
Thumbling heard his parents’ voices, and cried, “Dear father, I 
am here; I am in the wolf’s body.” Said the father, full of joy, 
“Thank God, our dear child has found us again,” and bade the 
woman take away her scythe, that Thumbling might not be 
hurt with it. After that he raised his arm, and struck the wolf 
such a blow on his head that he fell down dead, and then they 
got knives and scissors and cut his body open, and drew the lit- 
tle fellow forth. “Ah,” said the father, “what sorrow we have 
gone through for your sake.” “Yes, father, I have gone about 
the world a great deal. Thank heaven, I breathe fresh air 
again!” “Where have you been, then?” “Ah, father, I have 
been in a mouse’s hole, in a cow’s stomach, and then in a wolf’s ; 
now I will stay with you.” “And We will not sell you again; 
no, not for all the riches in the world,” said his parents, and 
they embraced and kissed their dear Thumbling. 



118 


BRIAR ROSE 


NCE upon a time there lived a king and queen who 



had no children; and this they lamented very much. 


But one day, as the queen was walking by the side of 
the river, a little fish lifted its head out of the water, and said, 
“Your wish shall be fulfilled, and you shall soon have a 
daughter.” 

What the little fish had foretold soon came to pass ; and the 
queen had a little girl who was so very beautiful that the king 
could not cease looking on her for joy, and determined to hold 
a great feast. So he invited not only his relations, friends, and 
neighbors, but also all the fairies, that they might be kind and 
good to his little daughter. Now there were thirteen fairies in 
his kingdom, and he had only twelve golden dishes for them to 
eat out of, so that he was obliged to leave one of the fairies 
without an invitation. The rest came, and after the feast was 
over they gave all their best gifts to the little princess; one gave 
her virtue, another beauty, another riches, and so on till she 
had all that was excellent in the world. When eleven had done 
blessing her, the thirteenth, who had not been invited, and was 
very angry on that account, came in, and determined to take 
her revenge. So she cried out, “The king’s daughter shall in 
her fifteenth year be wounded by a spindle, and fall down 
dead.” Then the twelfth, who had not yet given her gift, came 
forward and said that the bad wish must be fulfilled, but that 
she could soften it, and that the king’s daughter should not die, 
but fall asleep for a hundred years. 

But the king hoped to save his dear child from the threat- 
ened evil, and ordered that all the spindles in the kingdom 
should be bought up and destroyed. All the fairies’ gifts were 


119 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

in the meantime fulfilled; for the princess was so beautiful, and 
well-behaved and amiable, and wise, that every one who knew 
her loved her. 

Now it happened that on the very day she was fifteen years 
old the king and queen were not at home, and she was left alone 
in the palace. So she roamed about by herself, and looked at all 
the rooms and chambers, till at last she came to an old tower, 
to which there was a narrow staircase ending with a little door. 
In the door .there was a golden key, and when she turned it 
the door sprang open, and there sat an old lady spinning away 
very busily. 

“Why, how now, good mother,” said the princess, “what 
are you doing there?” 

“Spinning,” said the old lady, and nodded her head. 

“How prettily that little thing turns round!” said the prin- 
cess, and took the spindle and began to spin. But scarcely had 
she touched it before the prophecy was fulfilled, and she fell 
down lifeless on the ground. 

However, she was not dead, but had only fallen into a 
deep sleep; and the king and the queen, who just then came 
home, and all their court, fell asleep too, and the horses slept 
in the stables, and the dogs in the yard, and the pigeons on 
the house-top, and the flies on the walls. Even the fire on the 
hearth left off blazing, and went to sleep; and the meat that 
was roasting stood still; and the cook, who was at that mo- 
ment pulling the kitchen-boy by the hair to give him a box on 
the ear for something he had done amiss, let him go, and both 
fell asleep; and so everything stood still, and slept soundly. 

A high hedge of thorns soon grew around the palace, and 
every year it became higher and thicker, till at last the whole 
palace was surrounded and hidden, so that not even the roof 
or the chimneys could be seen. 

120 


BRIAR ROSE 

But there went a report through all the land of the beau- 
tiful sleeping Briar Rose, for thus was the king’s daughter 
called; so that from time to time several kings’ sons came, and 
tried to break through the thicket into the palace. 

This they could never do; for the thorns and bushes laid 
hold of them as it were with hands, and there they stuck fast and 
died miserably. 

After many, many years there came another king’s son into 
that land, and an old man told him the story of the thicket of 
thorns, and how a beautiful palace stood behind it, in which 
was a wondrous princess, called Briar Rose, 
asleep with all her court. He told, too, how 
he had heard from his grandfather that many, 
many princes had come, and had tried to 
break through the thicket, but had stuck fast 
and died. 

Then the young prince said, “All this 
shall not frighten me ; I will go and see Briar 



GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

Rose.” The old man tried to dissuade him, but he persisted in 
going. 

Now that very day the hundred years were completed; and 
as the prince came to the thicket he saw nothing but beautiful 
flowering shrubs, through which he passed with ease, and they 
closed after him as firm as ever. 

Then he came at last to the palace, and there in the yard 
lay the dogs asleep, and the horses in the stables, and on the 
roof sat the pigeons fast asleep with their heads under their 
wings; and when he came into the palace, the flies slept on 
the walls, and the cook in the kitchen was still holding up 
her hand as if she would beat the boy, and the maid sat with a 
black fowl in her hand ready to be plucked. 

Then he went on still further, and all was so still that he 
could hear every breath he drew ; till at last he came to the old 
Itower and opened the door of the little room in which Briar 
Rose was, and there she lay fast asleep, and looked so beauti- 
ful that he could not take his eyes off, and he stooped down 
and gave her a kiss. But the moment he kissed her she opened 
her eyes and awoke, and smiled upon him. 

Then they went out together, and presently the king and 
queen also awoke, and all the court, and they gazed on each 
other with great wonder. 

And the horses got up and shook themselves, and the dogs 
jumped about and barked; the pigeons took their heads from 
under their wings, and looked about and flew into the fields; 
the flies on the walls buzzed away; the fire in the kitchen blazed 
up and cooked the dinner, and the roast meat turned round 
again; the cook gave the boy the box on his ear so that he 
cried out, and the maid went on plucking the fowl. 

And then was the wedding of the prince and Briar Rose 
celebrated, and they lived happily together all their lives. 

122 


THE SIX SWANS 


A KING was once hunting in a large wood, and pursued 
his game so hotly that none of his courtiers could fol- 
low him. But when evening approached he stopped, and 
looking around him perceived that he had lost himself. He 
sought a path out of the forest but could not find one, and 
presently he saw an old woman, with a nodding head, who 
came up to him. “My good woman,” said he to her, “can you 
not show me the way out of the forest?” “Oh, yes, my lord 
King,” she replied; “I can do that very well, but upon one con- 
dition, which if you do not fulfil, you will never again get out 
of the wood, but will die of hunger.” 

“What, then, is this condition?” asked the King. 

“I have a daughter,” said the old woman, “who is as beau- 
tiful as any one you can find in the whole world, and well 
deserves to be your bride. Now, if you will make her your 
Queen, I will show you your way out of the wood.” In the 
anxiety of his heart, the King consented, and the old woman led 
him to her cottage, where the daughter was sitting by the fire. 
She received the King as if she had expected him, and he saw 
at once that she was very beautiful, but yet she did not quite 
please him, for he could not look at her without a secret shud- 
dering. However, he took the maiden upon his horse, and the 
old woman showed him the way, and the King arrived safely 
at his palace, where the wedding was to be celebrated. 

The King had been married once before, and had seven 
children by his first wife, six boys and a girl, whom he loved 
above everything else in the world. He became afraid, soon, 
that the step-mother might not treat his children very well, and 


GRIMM’S FAIRYi STORIES 

might even do them some great injury, so he took them away 
to a lonely castle which stood in the midst of a forest. The 
castle was so entirely hidden, and the way to it was so difficult 
to discover, that he himself could not have found it if a wise 
woman had not given him a ball of cotton which had the won- 
derful property, when he threw it before him, of unrolling itself 
and showing him the right path. The King went, however, so 
often to see his dear children, that the Queen, noticing his ab- 
sence, became inquisitive, and wished to know what he went to 
fetch out of the forest. So she gave his servants a great quan- 
tity of money, and they disclosed to her the secret, and also told 
her of the ball of cotton which alone could show her the way. 
She had now no peace until she discovered where this ball was 
concealed, and then she made some fine silken shirts, and, as 
she had learnt of her mother, she sewed within each a charm. 
One day soon after, when the King was gone out hunting, she 
took the little shirts and went into the forest, and the cotton 
showed her the path. The children, seeing some one coming in 
the distance, thought it was their dear father, and ran out full 
of joy. Then she threw over each of them a shirt, that, as it 
touched their bodies, changed them into Swans, which flew away 
over the forest. The Queen then went home quite contented, 
and thought she was free of her step-children ; but the little girl 
had not met her with the brothers, and the Queen did not know 
of her. 

The following day the King went to visit his children, but 
he found only the Maiden. “Where are your brothers?” asked 
he. “Ah, dear father,” she replied, “they are gone away and 
have left me alone”; and she told him how she had looked out 
of the window and seen them changed into Swans, which had 
flown over the forest; and then she showed him the feathers 
which they had dropped in the courtyard, and which she had 

124 


[THE SIX SWANS 

collected together. The King was much grieved, but he did 
not think that his wife could have done this wicked deed, and, 
as he feared the girl might also be stolen away, he took her 
with him. She was, however, so much afraid of the step-mother, 
that she begged him not to stop more than one night in the 
castle. 

The poor Maiden thought to herself, “This is no longer 
my place; I will go and seek my brothers’’; and when night 
came she escaped and went quite deep into the wood. She 
walked all night long, and a great part of the next day, until 
she could go no further from weariness. Just then she saw a 
rough-looking hut, and going in, she found a room with six 
little beds, but she dared not get into one, so crept under, and 
laying herself upon the hard earth, prepared to pass the night 
there. Just as the sun was setting, she heard a rustling, and 
saw six white Swans come flying in at the window. They set- 
tled on the ground and began blowing one another until they 
had blown all their feathers off, and their swan’s down slipped 
from them like a shirt. Then the Maiden knew them at once 
for her brothers, and gladly crept out from under the bed, and 
the brothers were not less glad to see their sister, but their joy 
was of short duration. “Here you must not stay,” said they 
to her; “this is a robbers’ hiding-place; if they should return 
and find you here, they would murder you.” 

“Can you not protect me, then?” inquired the sister. 

“No,” they replied; “for we can only lay aside our swan’s 
feathers for a quarter of an hour each evening, and for that 
time we regain our human form, but afterwards we resume our 
changed appearance.” 

Their sister then asked them, with tears, “Can you not be 
restored again?” 

“Oh, no,” replied they; “the conditions are too difficult. 

.125 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

For six long years you must neither speak nor laugh, and dur- 
ing that time you must sew together for us six little shirts of 
star-flowers, and should there fall a single word from your lips, 
then all your labor will be in vain.” Just as the brothers fin- 
ished speaking, the quarter of an hour elapsed, and they all flew 
out of the window again like Swans. 

The little sister, however, made a solemn resolution to res- 
cue her brothers, or die in the attempt; and she left the cottage, 
and, penetrating deep into the forest, passed the night amid the 
branches of a tree. The next morning she went out and col- 
lected the star-flowers to sew together. She had no one to con- 
verse with and for laughing she had no spirits, so there up in 
the tree she sat, intent upon her work. 

After she had passed some time there, it happened that 

the King of that country 
was hunting in the forest, 
and his huntsmen came be- 
neath the tree on which the 
Maiden sat. They called to 
her and asked, “Who art 
thou?” But she gave no 
answer. “Come down to 
us,” continued they; “we 
will do thee no harm.” She 
simply shook her head, and 
when they pressed her fur- 
ther with questions, she 
threw down to them her 
gold necklace, hoping 
therewith to satisfy them. 
They did not, however, 
leave her, and she threw 



THE SIX SWANS 


down her girdle, but in vain ! 
and even her rich dress did 
not make them desist. At 
last the huntsman himself 
climbed the tree and brought 
down the Maiden, and took 
her before the King. 

The King asked her, 

“Who art thou? What dost 
thou upon that tree?” But 
she did not answer; and then 
he questioned her in all the 
languages that he knew, but 
she remained dumb to all, as 
a fish. Since, however, she 
was so beautiful, the King’s 
heart was touched, and he 
conceived for her a strong 
affection. Then he put around her his cloak, and, placing her 
before him on his horse, took her to his castle. There he ordered 
rich clothing to be made for her, and, although her beauty shone 
as the sunbeams, not a word escaped her. The King placed her 
by his side at table, and there her dignified mien and manners so 
won upon him, that he said, “This Maiden will I marry, and 
no other in the world;” and after some days he wedded her. 

Now, the King had a wicked step-mother, who was discon- 
tented with his marriage, and spoke evil of the young Queen. 
“Who knows whence the wench comes?” said she. “She who 
cannot speak is not worthy of a King.” A year after, when 
the Queen brought her first-born into the world, the old woman 
took him away. Then she went to the King and complained 
that the Queen was a murderess. The King, however, would not 

127 , 



GRIMM’S FAIRX STORIES 

believe it, and suffered no one to do any injury to his wife, who 
sat composedly sewing at her shirts and paying attention to 
nothing else. When a second child was born, the false step- 
mother used the same deceit, but the King again would not 
listen to her words, saying, “She is too pious and good to act 
so ; could she but speak and defend herself, her innocence would 
come to light.” But when again, the old woman stole away 
the third child, and then accused the Queen, who answered not 
a word to the accusation, the King was obliged to give her up 
to be tried, and she was condemned to suffer death by fire. 

When the time had elapsed, and the sentence was to be 
carried out, it happened that the very day had come round when 
her dear brothers should be set free; the six shirts were also 
ready, all but the last, which yet wanted the left sleeve. As she 
was led to the scaffold, she placed the shirts upon her arm, and 
just as she had mounted it, and the fire was about to be kin- 
dled, she looked around, and saw six Swans come flying through 
the air. Her heart leapt for joy as she perceived her deliverers 
approaching, and soon the Swans, flying towards her, alighted 
so near that she was enabled to throw over them the shirts, and 
as soon as she had done so, their feathers fell off and the broth- 
ers stood up alive and well; but the youngest was without his 
left arm, instead of which he had a swan’s wing. They em- 
braced and kissed each other, and the Queen, going to the King, 
who was thunderstruck, began to say, “Now may I speak, my 
dear husband, and prove to you that I am innocent and falsely 
accused;” and then she told him how the wicked woman had 
stolen away and hidden her three children. When she had con- 
cluded, the King was overcome with joy, and the wicked step- 
mother was led to the scaffold and bound to the stake and burnt 
to ashes. The King and Queen for ever after lived in peace 
and prosperity with their six brothers. 

;i28 


RAPUNZEL 


T HERE were once a man and a woman who had long in 
vain wished for a child. At length the woman hoped that 
God was about to grant her desire. These people had a 
little window at the back of their house from which a splen- 
did garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful 
flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high 
wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an 
enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the 
world. One day the woman was standing by this window and 
looking down into the garden, when she saw a bed which was 
planted with the most beautiful rampion (rapunzel), and it 
looked so fresh and green that she longed for it, and had the 
greatest desire to eat some. This desire increased every day, 
and as she knew that she could not get any of it, she quite 
pined away, and looked pale and miserable. Then her husband 
was alarmed, and asked, “What ails you, dear wife?” “Ah,” 
she replied, “if I can’t get some of the rampion which is in the 
garden behind our house, to eat, I shall die.” The man, who 
loved her, thought, “Sooner than let your wife die, bring her 
some of the rampion yourself, let it cost you what it will.” In 
the twilight of evening, he clambered down over the wall 
into the garden of the enchantress, hastily clutched a handful 
of rampion, and took it to his wife. She at once made herself 
a salad of it, and ate it with much relish. She, however, liked 
it so much, so very much, that the next day she longed for it 
three times as much as before. If he was to have any rest, her 
husband must once more descend into the garden. In the gloom 
of evening, therefore, he let himself down again; but when he 

129 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


had clambered down the wall he was terribly afraid, for he saw 
the enchantress standing before him. “How can you dare,” said 
she with angry look, “to descend into my garden and steal my 
rampion like a thief? You shall suffer for it!” “Ah,” answered 
he, “let mercy take the place of justice. I only made up my 
mind to do it out of necessity. My wife saw your rampion 
from the window, and felt such a longing for it that she would 
have died if she had not got some to eat.” Then the enchan- 
tress allowed her anger to be softened, and said to him, “If the 
case be as you say, I will allow you to take away with you as 
much rampion as you will, only I makejone condition, you must 
give me the child which your wife will bring into the world; it 
shall be well treated, and I will care for it like a mother.” The 
man in his terror consented to everything, and when the little 
one came to them, the enchantress appeared at once, gave the 
child the name of Rapunzel, and took it away with her. 

Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child beneath the 
sun. When she was twelve years old, the enchantress shut her 
into a tower, which lay in a forest, and had neither stairs nor 
door, but quite at the top was a little window. When the 
enchantress wanted to go in, she placed herself beneath this, 
and cried, 

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, 

Let down your hair to me.” 

Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and 
when she heard the voice of the enchantress she unfastened her 
braided tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of the win- 
dow above, and then the hair fell twenty yards down, and the 
enchantress climbed up by it. 

After a year or two, it came to pass that the King’s son rode 
through the forest and went by the tower. Then he heard a 

130 


RAPUNZEL 


song, which was so charming that he stood still and listened. 
This was Rapunzel, who in her solitude passed her time in let- 
ting her sweet voice resound. The King’s son wanted to climb 
up to her, and looked for the door of the tower, but none was 
to be found. He rode home, but the singing had so deeply 
touched his heart, that every day he went out into the forest and 



listened to it. Once when he was thus standing behind a tree, 
he saw that an enchantress came there, and he heard how she 
cried, 

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, 

Let down your hair.” 

Then Rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the enchan- 
tress climbed up to her. “If that is the ladder by which one 

131 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


mounts, I will for once try my fortune,” said he, and the next 
day, when it began to grow dark, he went to the tower and cried, 

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, 

Let down your hair.” 

Immediately the hair fell down, and the King’s son climbed up. 

At first Rapunzel was terribly frightened when a man such 
as her eyes had never yet beheld came to her; but the King’s 
son began to talk to her quite like a friend, and told her that 
his heart had been so stirred that it had let him have no rest, 
and he had been forced to see her. Then Rapunzel lost her fear, 
and when he asked her if she would take him for a husband, 
and she saw that he was young and handsome, she thought, “He 
will love me more than old Dame Gothel does;” and she said 
yes, and laid her hand in his. She said, “I will willingly go away 
with you, but I do not know how to get down. Bring with you 
a skein of silk every time that you come, and I will weave a lad- 
der with it, and when that is ready I will descend, and you will 
take me on your horse.” They agreed that until that time he 
should come to her every evening, for the old woman came by 
day. The enchantress remarked nothing of this, until once 
Rapunzel said to her, “Tell me, Dame Gothel, how it happens 
that you are so much heavier for me to draw up than the young 
King’s son — he is with me in a moment.” “Ah! you wicked 
child,” cried the enchantress, “what do I hear you say! I 
thought I had separated you from all the world, and yet you 
have deceived me!” In her anger she clutched Rapunzel’s beau- 
tiful tresses, wrapped them twice round her left hand, seized a 
pair of scissors with the right, and snip, snip, they were cut off, 
and the lovely braids lay on the ground. And she was so piti- 
less that she took poor Rapunzel into a desert, where she had to 
live in great grief and misery. 

132 


RAPUNZEL 

On the same day, however, that she cast out Rapunzel, the 
enchantress in the evening fastened the braids of hair which 
she had cut off to the hook of the window, and when the King’s 
son came and cried, 


“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, 

Let down your hair,” 

she let the hair down. The King’s son ascended, but he did 
not find his dearest Rapunzel above, but the enchantress, who 
gazed at him with wicked and venomous looks. “Aha!” she cried 
mockingly. “You would fetch your dearest, but the beautiful 
bird sits no longer singing in the nest; the cat has got it, and 
will scratch out your eyes as well. Rapunzel is lost to you; 
you will never see her more.” The King’s son was beside him- 
self with pain, and in his despair he leapt down from the tower. 
He escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell pierced 
his eyes. Then he wandered quite blind about the forest, ate 
nothing but roots and berries, and did nothing but lament and 
weep over the loss of his dearest wife. Thus he roamed about 
in misery for some years, and at length came to the desert where 
Rapunzel lived in wretchedness. He heard a voice, and it 
seemed so familiar to him that he went towards it, and when 
he approached, Rapunzel knew him and fell on his neck and 
wept. Two of her tears wetted his eyes, and they grew clear 
again, and he could see with them as before. He led her to his 
kingdom, where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a 
long time afterwards, happy and contented. 


133 


MOTHER HOLLE 



IHERE was once a widow who had two daughters — one 


of whom was pretty and industrious, while the other 


was ugly and idle. But she was much fonder of the 
ugly and idle one, because she was her own daughter; and 
the other, who was a step-daughter, was obliged to do all the 
work, and be the Cinderella of the house. Every day the poor 
girl had to sit by a well, in the highway, and spin and spin 
till her fingers bled. 

Now it happened that one day the shuttle was marked with 
her blood, so she dipped it in the well, to wash the mark off; 
but it dropped out of her hand and fell to the bottom. She 
began to weep, and ran to her step-mother and told of the mis- 
hap. But she scolded her sharply, and was so merciless as to 
say, “Since you have let the shuttle fall in, you must fetch it 
put again.” 

So the girl went back to the well, and did not know what 
to do ; and in the sorrow of her heart she jumped into the well 
to get the shuttle. She lost her senses ; and when she awoke and 
came to herself again, she was in a lovely meadow where the 
sun was shining and many thousands of flowers were growing. 
Along this meadow she went, and at last came to a baker’s oven 
full of bread, and the bread cried out, “Oh, take me out! take 
me out! or I shall burn; I have been baked a long time!” 
So she went up to it, and took out all the loaves one after 
another with the bread-shovel. After that she went on till she 
came to a tree covered with apples, which called out to her, 
“Oh, shake me! shake me! we apples are all ripe!” So she shook 
the tree till the apples fell like rain, and went on shaking till 


.134 


MOTHER HOLLE 

they were all down, and when she had gathered them into a 
heap, she went on her way. 

At last she came to a little house, out of which an old 
woman peeped; but she had such large teeth that the girl was 
frightened, and was about to run away. 

But the old woman called out to her, “What are you afraid 
of, dear child? Stay with me; if you will do all the work in 
the house properly, you shall be the better for it. Only you 
must take care to make my bed well, and to shake it thoroughly 
till the feathers fly — for then there is snow on the earth. I am 
Mother Holle.” 

As the old woman spoke so kindly to her, the girl took 
courage and agreed to enter her service. She attended to every- 
thing to the satisfaction of her mistress, and always shook her 
bed so vigorously that the feathers flew about like snow-flakes. 
So she had a pleasant life with her; never an angry word; and 
boiled or roast meat every day. 

She stayed some time with Mother Holle, and then she 
became sad. At first she did not know what was the matter 
with her, but found at length that it was homesickness; although 
she was many times better off here than at home, still she had 
a longing to be there. At last she said to the old woman, “I 
have a longing for home; and however well off I am down 
here, I cannot stay any longer; I must go up again to my own 
people.” Mother Holle said, “I am pleased that you long for 
your home again, and as you have served me so truly, I myself 
will take you up again.” Thereupon she took her by the hand, 
and led her to a large door. The door was opened, and just as 
the maiden was standing beneath the doorway, a heavy shower 
of golden rain fell, and all the gold remained sticking to her, 
so that she was completely covered with it. 

“You shall have that because you are so industrious,” said 
135 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

Mother Holle; and at the same time she gave her back the 
shuttle which she had let fall into the well. Thereupon the 
door closed, and the maiden found herself up above upon the 
earth, not far from her mother’s house. 

And as she went into the yard the cock cried : “Cock-a-doo- 
dle-doo! Your golden girl’s come back to you!” 

So she went in to her mother, and as she arrived thus cov- 
ered with gold, she was well received, both by her and her sister. 



The girl told all that had happened to her; and as soon as 
the mother heard how she had come by so much wealth, she 
was very anxious to obtain the same good luck for the ugly 
and lazy daughter. She had to seat herself by the well and 
spin; and in order that her shuttle might be stained with blood, 
she stuck her hand into a thorn-bush and pricked her finger. 
Then she threw her shuttle into the well, and jumped in after it. 

She came, like the other, to the beautiful meadow and 
walked along the very same path. When she got to the oven 

136 



MOTHER HOLLE 


the bread again cried, “Oh, take me out ! take me out ! or I shall 
burn; I have been baked a long time!” But the lazy thing 
answered, “As if I had any wish to make myself dirty!” and 
on she went. Soon she came to the apple-tree, which cried, 
“Oh, shake me! shake me! we apples are all ripe!” But she 
answered, “I like that! one of you might fall on my head,” and 
so went on. 

When she came to Mother Holle’s house she was not afraid, 
for she 'had already heard of her big teeth, and she hired her- 
self to her immediately. 

The first day 'she forced herself to work diligently, and 
obeyed Mother Holle when she told her to do anything, for 
she was thinking of all the gold that she would give her. But 
on the second day she began to be lazy, and on the third day 
still more so, and then she would not get up in the morning 
at all. Neither did she make Mother Holle’s bed as she ought, 
and did not shake it so as to make the feathers fly up. Mother 
Holle was soon tired of this, and gave her notice to leave. The 
lazy girl was willing enough to go, and thought that now the 
golden rain would come. Mother Holle led her, too, to the great 
door; but while she was standing beneath it, instead of the gold 
a big kettleful of pitch was emptied over her. “That is the 
reward of your service,” said Mother Holle, and shut the door. 

So the lazy girl went home ; but she was quite covered with 
pitch, and the cock by the well-side, as soon as he saw her, cried : 
“Cock-a-doodle-doo! Your pitchy girl’s come back to you.” But 
the pitch stuck fast to her, and could not be got off as long as 
she lived. 


137 


THE FROG PRINCE 


I N the olden time, when wishing was having, there lived a 
King, whose daughters were all beautiful ; but the youngest 
was so exceedingly beautiful that the Sun himself, although 
he saw her very, very often, was delighted every time she came 
out into the sunshine. 

Near the castle of this King was a large and gloomy for- 
est, where in the midst stood an old lime-tree, beneath whose 
branches splashed a little fountain; so, whenever it was very 
hot, the King’s youngest daughter ran off into this wood, and 
sat down by the side of the fountain; and, when she felt dull, 
would often divert herself by throwing a golden ball up into 
the air and catching it again. And this was her favorite amuse- 
ment. 

Now, one day it happened that this golden ball, when the 
King’s daughter threw it into the air, did not fall down into 
her hand, but on to the grass ; and then it rolled right into the 
fountain. The King’s daughter followed the ball with her eyes, 
but it disappeared beneath the water, which was so deep that 
she could not see to the bottom. Then she began to lament, and 
to cry more loudly and more loudly; and, as she cried, a voice 
called out, “Why weepest thou, O King’s daughter? thy tears 
would melt even a stone to pity.” She looked around to the spot 
whence the voice came, and saw a frog stretching his thick, ugly 
head out of the water. “Ah ! you old water-paddler,” said she, 
“was it you that spoke? I am weeping for my golden ball 
which bounced away from me into the water.” 

“Be quiet, and do not cry,” replied the Frog; “I can give 
thee good assistance. But what wilt thou give me if I succeed 
in fetching thy plaything up again?” 

138 


THE FROG PRINCE 

“What would you like, dear Frog?” said she. “My dresses, 
my pearls and jewels, or the golden crown which I wear?” 

The Frog replied, “Dresses, or jewels, or golden crowns, 
are not for me; but if thou wilt love me, and let me be thy 
companion and playmate, and sit at thy table, and eat from thy 
little golden plate, and drink out of thy cup, and sleep in thy lit- 
tle bed, — if thou wilt promise me all these things, then I will 
dive down and fetch up thy golden ball.” 

“Oh, I will promise you all,” said she, “if you will only 
get me my golden ball.” But she thought to herself, “What is 
the silly Frog chattering about? Let him stay in the water 
with his equals; he cannot enter into society.” Then the Frog, 
as soon as he had received her promise, drew his head under 
the water and dived down. Presently he swam up again with 
the golden ball in his mouth, and threw it on to the grass. The 
King’s daughter was full of joy when she again saw her beau- 
tiful plaything; and, taking it up, she ran off immediately. “Stop! 
stop!” cried the Frog; “take me with thee. I cannot run as 
thou canst.” 

But this croaking was of no avail; although it was loud 
enough, the King’s daughter did not hear it, but, hastening 
home, soon forgot the poor Frog, who was obliged to leap back 
into the fountain. 

The next day, when the King’s daughter was sitting at table 
with her father and all his courtiers, and was eating from her 
own little golden plate, something was heard coming up the mar- 
ble stairs, splish-splash, splish-splash ; and when it arrived at the 
top, it knocked at the door, and a voice said — 

“Open the door, thou youngest daughter of the King!” 

So she arose and went to see who it was that called to her ; * 
but when she opened the door and caught sight of the Frog, 
she shut it again very quickly and with great passion, and sat 
down at the table, looking exceedingly pale. 

m 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


But the King perceived that her heart was beating vio- 
lently, and asked her whether it were a giant who had come to 
fetch her away who stood at the door. “Oh, no!” answered she; 
“it is no giant, but an ugly Frog.” 

“What does the Frog want with you?” said the King. 

“Oh, dear father, yesterday when I was playing by the 
fountain, my golden ball fell into the water, and this Frog 
fetched it up again because I cried so much: but first, I must 
tell you, he pressed me so much, that I promised him he should 
be my companion. I never thought that 
he could come out of the water, but some- 
how he has managed to jump out, and now 
he wants to come in here.” 

At that moment there was another 
knock, and a voice said — 

“King’s daughter, youngest, 

Open the door. 

•Hast thou forgotten 
Thy promises made 
F At the fountain so clear 

’Neath the lime-tree’s shade? 

King’s daughter, youngest, 

Open the door.” 



140 


THE FROG PRINCE 



Then the King said, 

“What you have prom- 
ised, that you must per- 
form; go and let him 
in.” So the King’s daughter 
went and opened the 
the Frog hopped in after her 
right up to her chair: and as 
soon as she was seated, he said, 

“Lift me up;” but she hesitated so long i 
the King had to order her to obey, 
as soon as the Frog sat on the chair 
jumped on to the table and said, “Now push 
thy plate near me, that we may eat to- 
gether.” And she did so, but as every one 
noticed, very unwillingly. The Frog seemed to relish his din- 
ner very much, but every bit that the King’s daughter ate 
nearly choked her, till at last the Frog said, “I have satisfied 
my hunger, and feel very tired; wilt thou carry me upstairs 
now into thy chamber, and make thy bed ready that we may 
sleep together?” At this speech the King’s daughter began to 
cry, for she was afraid of the cold Frog, and dared not touch 
him ; and besides, he actually wanted to sleep in her own beau- 
tiful, clean bed! 


141 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


But her tears only made the King very angry, and he said, 
“He who helped you in the time of your trouble must not now 
be despised!” So she took the Frog up with two fingers, and 
put him into a corner of her chamber. But as she lay in her 
bed, he crept up to it, and said, “I am so very tired that I shall 
sleep well; do take me up, or I will tell thy father.” This 
speech put the King’s daughter into a terrible passion, and catch- 
ing the Frog up, she threw him with all her strength against 
the wall, saying “Now will you be quiet, you ugly Frog!” 

But as he fell he was changed from a Frog into a hand- 
some Prince with beautiful eyes, who after a little while became 
her dear companion and betrothed. One morning, Henry, trusted 
servant of the Prince, came for them with a carriage. When his 
master was changed into a frog, trusty Henry had grieved so 
much that he had bound three iron bands around his heart, for 
fear it should break with grief and sorrow. The faithful Henry 
(who was also the trusty Henry) helped in the bride and bride- 
groom, and placed himself in the seat behind, full of joy at his 
master’s release. They had not proceeded far when the Prince 
heard a crack as if something had broken behind the carriage ; so 
he put his head out of the window and asked trusty Henry what 
was broken, and faithful Henry answered, “It was not the car- 
riage, my master, but an iron band which I bound around my 
heart when it was in such grief because you were changed into 
a frog.” 

Twice afterwards on the journey there was the same noise, 
and each time the Prince thought that it was some part of the 
carriage that had given way; but it was only the breaking of 
the bands which bound the heart of the trusty Henry (who was 
also the faithful Henry), and who was thenceforward free and 
happy. 


142 


THE TRAVELS OF TOM THUMB 

T HERE lived a tailor who had only one son, and he was 
extremely small, not any larger than your thumb, and 
so was called Tom Thumb. 

However, he was a courageous little fellow, and he told his 
father, “Father, I am determined to go into the world to seek 
my fortune.” 

“Very well, my son,” answered the old man, and taking a 
big darning needle, he made a top to it of sealing wax, and 
gave it to Tom Thumb, saying: 

“There is a sword for you to use to defend yourself on 
your journeyings.” 

Then the little fellow, desiring to dine once more with his 
parents, popped into the kitchen to find out what his mother 
was preparing for his last dinner at home. All the dishes were 
ready to be taken in, and they were standing upon the hearth. 
“What is it you have for dinner, dear mother?” he inquired. 
“You can look for yourself,” she replied. 

Then Tom sprang up on to the hob, and peeped into all 
the dishes, but over one he leant so far, that he was carried up 
by the steam through the chimney, and then for some distance 
he floated on the smoke, but after a while he fell upon the 
ground once more. 

Now, at last, Tom Thumb was really out in the wide world, 
and he went on cheerily, and after a time was engaged by a mas- 
ter tailor; but here the food \yas not so good as his mother’s, 
and it was not to his taste. 

So he said, “Mistress, if you will not give me better things 
143 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


to eat, I shall chalk upon your door, ‘Too many potatoes, and 
not enough meat. Good-bye, potato-mill.’ ” 

“I should like to know what you want, you little grasshop- 
per!” cried the woman very angrily, and she seized a shred of 
cloth to strike him; however, the tiny tailor popped under a 



thimble, and from it he peeped, putting out his tongue at the 
mistress. 

So she took up the thimble, meaning to catch him, but Tom 
Thumb hid himself amongst the shreds of cloth, and when she 
began to search through those, he slipped into a crack in the 
table, but put out his head to laugh at her; so she tried again 
to hit him with the shred, but did not succeed in doing so, for 
he slipped through the crack into the table drawer. 

At last, though, he was caught, and driven out of the house. 

144 


THE TRAVELS OF TOM THUMB 

So the little fellow continued his travels, and presently, 
entering a thick forest, he encountered a company of robbers 
who were plotting to steal the king’s treasure. 

As soon as they saw the little tailor, they said to themselves, 
“A little fellow like this could creep through a keyhole, and aid 
us greatly.” So one called out — 

“Hullo, little man, will you come with us to the king’s 
treasury? Certainly a Goliath like you could creep in with ease, 
and throw out the coins to us.” 

After considering awhile, Tom Thumb consented, and 
accompanied them to the king’s treasury. 

From top to bottom they inspected the door to discover a 
crack large enough for him to get through, and soon found one. 
He was for going in directly, but one of the sentinels happen- 
ing to catch sight of him, exclaimed: “Here is indeed an ugly 
spider; I will crush it with my foot.” 

“Leave the poor creature alone,” the other said; “it has not 
done you any harm.” 

So Tom Thumb slipped through the crack, and made his 
way to the treasury. Then he opened the window, and cast out 
the coins to the robbers who were waiting below. While the lit- 
tle tailor was engaged in this exciting employment, he heard the 
king coming to inspect his treasure, so as quickly as possible 
he crept out of sight. The king noticed that his treasure had 
been disarranged, and soon observed that coins were missing; 
but he was utterly unable to think how they could have been 
stolen, for the locks and bolts had not been tampered with, 
and everything was well fastened. 

On going from the treasury, he warned the two sentinels, 
saying — 

“Be on the watch, some one is after the money,” and quite 
soon, on Tom Thumb setting to work again, they heard very 

145 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

clearly the coins ringing, chink, chank, as they struck one 
against the other. 

As quickly as possible they unfastened the building and 
went in, hoping to take the thief. 

But Tom Thumb was too quick for them, he sprang into 
a corner, and hiding himself behind a coin, so that nothing of 
him was visible, he made fun of the sentinels; crying “I am 
here!” Then when the men hurried to the spot where the voice 
came from, he was no longer there, but from a different place 
cried out: “Ha, Ha! here I am!” 

So the sentinels kept jumping about, but so cleverly did 
Tom move from one spot to another, that they were obliged to 
run around the whole time, hoping to find somebody, until at 
length, quite tired out, they went off. 

Then Tomb Thumb went on with his work, and one after 
another he threw all the coins out of the window, but the very 
last he sounded and rang with all his might and springing 
nimbly upon it, so flew through the window. 

The robbers were loud in their praises. 

“Indeed you are a brave fellow,” they said, “will you be 
our captain?” 

Tom Thumb, thanking them, declined this honor, for he 
was anxious to see more of the world. Then the booty was 
apportioned out, but only a ducat was given to the little tailor, 
for that was as much as he could carry. 

So Tom girded on his sword again, and bidding farewell to 
the robbers, continued his travels. 

He tried to get work under various masters, but they would 
have nothing to do with him, so after a while he took service 
at an inn. But the maids there disliked him, for he was about 
everywhere, and saw all that went on, without being seen him- 

146 


THE TRAVELS OF TOM THUMB 

self; and he told their mistress of their dishonest ways, of what 
was taken off the plates, and from out the cellars. 

So they threatened they would drown him, if they caught 
him, and determined to do him some harm. Then, one day, a 
maid mowing in the garden saw Tom Thumb running in and 
out between the blades of grass, so she cut the grass, in great 
haste, just where he chanced to be, tied it all in a bundle, and, 
without anyone knowing, threw it to the cows. 

Then one big black cow took up a mouthful of grass 
directly, with Tom in it, and swallowed it down; without doing 
him any damage, however. 

But Tom did not approve of his position, for it was pitch 
dark down there, with no light burning. 

When milking time came, he shouted — 

“Drip, drap, drop, 

Will the milking soon stop?” 

but the sound of the milk trickling into the pail prevented his 
voice being heard. 

Not long afterwards the master came into the shed, and 

said: 

“I will have that cow killed to-morrow.” 

This put Tom Thumb into a great fright, and he called 
out loudly: 

“Please let me out, here I am inside.” 

This the master heard plainly enough, but could not make 
out where the voice came from. 

“Where are you?” he inquired. 

“In the black cow,” was the reply. 

However, the master could not understand what was meant, 
and so went away. 

The following morning the cow was killed, but fortunately 
147 . 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


in the cutting up the knife did not touch Tom Thumb, who 
was put aside with the meat that was to be made into sausages. 

When the butcher began chopping, he cried as loudly as 
he could — 

“Don’t chop far, I am down beneath,” but the chopper 
made so much noise, that he attracted no attention. 

It was indeed a terrible situation for poor Tom. But being 
in danger brightens one’s wits, and he sprang so nimbly, this 
way and that, keeping clear of the chopper, that not a blow 
struck him, and he did not get even a scratch. 

However, he could not escape, there was no help for it, he 
was forced into a skin with the sausage meat, so was compelled 
to make himself as comfortable as might be. It was very close 
quarters, and besides that, the sausages were suspended to smoke 
in the chimney, which was by no means entertaining, and the 
time passed slowly. 

When winter came, he was taken down for a guest’s meal, 
and while the hostess was slicing the sausage he had to be on 
his guard, lest if he stretched out his head it might be cut off. 

Watching his opportunity, at last he was able to jump out 
of the sausage, and right glad was he to be once again in the 
company of his fellow-men. 

It was not very long, however, that he stayed in this house, 
where he had been met by so many misfortunes, and again he 
set forth on his travels, rejoicing in his freedom, but this did 
not long continue. 

Swiftly running across the field came a fox, who, in an 
instant, had snapped up poor little Tom. 

“Oh, Mr. Fox,” called out the little tailor, “it is I who 
am in your throat; please let me out.” 

“Certainly,” answered Reynard, “you are not a bit better 
than nothing at all, you don’t in the least satisfy me; make me 

148 


THE TRAVELS OF TOM THUMB 

a promise, that I shall have the hens in your father’s yard, and 
you shall regain your liberty.” 

“Willingly, you shall have all the hens ; I make you a faith- 
ful promise,”, responded Tom Thumb. 

So the fox coughed and set him free, and himself carried 
Tom home. 

Then when the father had his dear little son once more 
he gave the fox all his hens, with the greatest of pleasure. 

“Here, father, I am bringing you a golden coin from my 
travels,” said the little fellow, and he brought out the ducat the 
thieves had apportioned to him. 

“But how was it that the fox was given all the poor little 
hens?” 

“Foolish little one, don’t you think your father would rather 
have you, than all the hens he ever had in his yard?” 



149 


SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED 


POOR widow once lived in a little cottage. In front 



of the cottage was a garden, in which were growing 


**■ two rose trees; one of these bore white roses, and the 
other red. 

She had two children, who resembled the rose trees. One 
was called Snow-White, and the other Rose-Red; and they were 
as religious and loving, busy and untiring, as any two children 
ever were. 

Snow-White was more gentle, and quieter than her sister, 
who liked better skipping about the fields, seeking flowers, and 
catching summer birds; while Snow-White stayed at home with 
her mother, either helping her in her work, or, when that was 
done, reading aloud. 

The two children had the greatest affection the one for the 
other. They were always seen hand in hand ; and should Snow- 
White say to her sister, “We will never separate,” the other 
would reply, “Not while we live,” the mother adding, “That 
jvhich one has, let her always share with the other.” 

They constantly ran together in the woods, collecting ripe 
berries; but not a single animal would have injured them; quite 
the reverse, they all felt the greatest esteem for the young 
creatures. The hare came to eat parsley from their hands, the 
deer grazed by their side, the stag bounded past them unheed- 
ing; the birds, likewise, did not stir from the bough, but sang 
in entire security. No mischance befell them; if benighted in 
the wood, they lay down on the moss to repose and sleep till 
the morning; and their mother was satisfied as to their safety, 
and felt no fear about them. 

Once, when they had spent the night in the wood, and the 


150 


SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED 

bright sunrise awoke them, they saw a beautiful child, in a 
snow-white robe, shining like diamonds, sitting close to the spot 
where they had reposed. She arose when they opened their eyes, 
and looked kindly at them; but said no word, and passed from 
their sight into the wood. When the children looked around 
they saw they had been sleeping on the edge of a precipice, and 
would surely have fallen over if they had gone forward two 
steps further in the darkness. Their mother said the beautiful 
child must have been the angel who keeps watch over good 
children. 

Snow-White and Rose-Red kept their mother’s cottage so 
clean that it gave pleasure only to look in. In summer-time 
Rose-Red attended to the house, and every morning, before her 
mother awoke, placed by her bed a bouquet which had in it a 
rose from each of the rose-trees. In winter-time Snow-White set 
light to the fire, and put on the kettle, after polishing it until 
it was like gold for brightness. In the evening, when snow was 
falling, her mother would bid her bolt the door, and then, sit- 
ting by the hearth, the good widow would read aloud to them 
from a big book while the little girls were spinning. Close by 
them lay a lamb, and a white pigeon, with its head tucked under 
its wing, was on a perch behind. 

One evening, as they were all sitting cosily together like 
this, there was a knock at the door, as if someone wished to 
come in. 

“Make haste, Rose-Red!” said her mother; “open the door; 
it is surely some traveller seeking shelter.” Rose-Red accord- 
ingly pulled back the bolt, expecting to see some poor man. 
But it was nothing of the kind; it was a bear, that thrust his 
big, black head in at the open door. Rose-Red cried out and 
sprang back, the lamb bleated, the dove fluttered her wings, and 
Snow-White hid herself behind her mother’s bed. The bear 

151 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

began speaking, and said, “Do not be afraid; I will not do you 
any harm; I am half-frozen and would like to warm myself a 
little at your fire.” 

“Poor bear!” the mother replied; “come in and lie by the 
fire; only be careful that your hair is not burnt.” Then she 
called Snow-White and Rose-Red, telling them that the bear was 
kind, and would not harm them. They came, as she bade them, 
and presently the lamb and the dove drew near also without 
fear. 

“Children,” begged the bear ; “knock some of the snow off 
my coat.” So they brought the broom and brushed the bear’s 
coat quite clean. 

After that he stretched himself out in front of the fire, and 
pleased himself by growling a little, only to show that he was 

happy and comfortable. Before 
long they were all quite good 
friends, and the children began 
to play with their unlooked-for 
visitor, pulling his thick fur, or 
placing their feet on his back, 
or rolling him over and over. 
Then they took a slender hazel- 
twig, using it upon his thick 
coat, and they laughed when he 
growled. The bear permitted 
them to amuse themselves in this 
way, only occasionally calling 
out, when it went a little too far, 
“Children, spare me an inch of 
life.” 

When it was night, and all 
were making ready to go to bed, 

152 



SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED 

the widow told the bear, “You may stay here and lie by the 
hearth, if you like, so that you will be sheltered from the cold 
and from the bad weather.” 

The offer was accepted, but when morning came, as the 
day broke in the east, the two children let him out, and over the 
snow he went back into the wood. 

After this, every evening at the same time the bear came, 
lay by the fire, and allowed the children to play with him; so 
they became quite fond of their curious playmate, and the door 
was not ever bolted in the evening until he had appeared. 

When spring-time came, and all around began to look green 
and bright, one morning the bear said to Snow-White, “Now I 
must leave you, and all the summer long I shall not be able 
to come back.” 

“Where, then, are you going, dear Bear?” asked Snow- 
White. 

“I have to go to the woods to protect my treasure from the 
bad dwarfs. In winter-time, when the earth is frozen hard, 
they must remain underground, and cannot make their way 
through: but now that the sunshine has thawed the earth they 
can come to the surface, and whatever gets into their hands, or 
is brought to their caves, seldom, if ever, again sees daylight.” 

Snow-White was very sad when she said good-bye to the 
good-natured beast, and unfastened the door, that he might go; 
but in going out he was caught by a hook in the lintel, and a 
scrap of his fur being torn, Snow-White thought there was 
something shining like gold through the rent; but he went out 
so quickly that she could not feel certain what it was, and soon 
he was hidden among the trees. 

One day the mother sent her children into the wood to pick 
up sticks. They found a big tree lying on the ground. It had 
been felled, and towards the roots they noticed something skip- 

153 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


ping and springing, which they could not make out, as it was 
sometimes hidden in the grasses. As they came nearer they 
could see it was a dwarf, with a shrivelled-up face and a snow- 
white beard an ell long. The beard was fixed in a gash in the 
tree trunk, and the tiny fellow was hopping to ancj fro, like a 
dog at the end of a string, but he could not manage to free 
himself. He stared at the children with his red, fiery eyes, and 
called out, “Why are you standing there? Can’t you come 
and try to help me?” 

“What were you doing, little fellow?” inquired Rose-Red. 

“Stupid, inquisitive goose!” replied the dwarf; “I meant to 
split the trunk, so that I could chop it up for kitchen sticks; 
big logs would burn up the small quantity of food we cook, for 
people like us do not consume great heaps of food, as you 
heavy, greedy folk do. The bill-hook I had driven in, and soon 
I should have done what I required; but the tool suddenly 
sprang from the cleft, which so quickly shut up again that it 
caught my handsome white beard; and here I must stop, for I 
cannot set myself free. You stupid pale-faced creatures! You 
laugh, do you?” 

In spite of the dwarf’s bad temper, the girls took all pos- 
sible pains to release the little man, but without avail, the beard 
could not be moved, it was wedged too tightly. 

“I will run and get someone else,” said Rose-Red. 

“Idiot!” cried the dwarf. “Who would go and get more 
people? Already there are two too many. Can’t you think of 
something better?” 

“Don’t be so impatient,” said Snow-White. “I will try to 
think.” She clapped her hands as if she had discovered a 
remedy, took out her scissors, and in a moment set the dwarf 
free by cutting off the end of his beard. 

Immediately the dwarf felt that he was free he seized a 
154 


SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED 

sack full of gold that was hidden amongst the tree’s roots, and, 
lifting it up, grumbled out, “Clumsy creatures, to cut off a bit 
of my beautiful beard, of which I am so proud! I leave the 
cuckoos to pay you for what you did.” Saying this, he swung 
the sack across his shoulder, and went off, without even cast- 
ing a glance at the children. 

Not long afterwards the two sisters went to angle in the 
brook, meaning to catch fish for dinner. As they were draw- 
ing near the water they perceived something, looking like a 
large grasshopper, springing towards the stream, as if it were 
going in. They hurried up to see what it might be, and found 
that it was the dwarf. “Where are you going?” said Rose-Red. 
“Surely you will not not jump into the water?” 

“I’m not such a simpleton as that!” yelled the little man. 
“Don’t you see that a wretch of a fish is pulling me in?” 

The dwarf had been sitting angling from the side of the 
stream when, by ill-luck, the wind had entangled his beard in 
his line, and just afterwards a big fish taking the bait, the 
unamiable little fellow had not sufficient strength to pull it out; 
so the fish had the advantage, and was dragging the dwarf after 
it. Certainly, he caught at every stalk and spray near him, 
but that did not assist him greatly; he was forced to follow all 
the twistings of the fish, and was perpetually in danger of being 
drawn into the brook. 

The girls arrived just in time. They caught hold of him 
firmly and endeavored to untwist his beard from the line, but 
in vain; they were too tightly entangled. There was nothing 
left but again to make use of the scissors; so they were taken 
out, and the tangled portion was cut off. 

When the dwarf noticed what they were about, he exclaimed 
in a great rage, “Is this how you damage my beard? Not con- 
tent with making it shorter before, you are now making it still 

155 


GRIMM’S FAIRY; STORIES 

smaller, and completely spoiling it. I shall not ever dare show 
my face to my friends. I wish you had missed your way before 
you took this road.” Then he fetched a sack of pearls that lay 
among the rushes, and, not saying another word, hobbled off 
and disappeared behind a large stone. 

Soon after this it chanced that the poor widow sent her chil- 
dren to the town to purchase cotton, needles, ribbon, and tape. 
The way to the town ran over a common, on which in every 
direction large masses of rocks were scattered about. The chil- 
dren’s attention was soon attracted to a big bird that hovered 
in the air. They remarked that, after circling slowly for a time, 
and gradually getting nearer to the ground, it all of a sudden 
pounced down amongst a mass of rock. Instantly a heartrend- 
ing cry reached their ears, and, running quickly to the place, 
they saw, with horror, that the eagle had seized their former 
acquaintance, the dwarf, and was just about to carry him off. 
The kind children did not hesitate for an instant. They took a 
firm hold of the little man, and strove so stoutly with the eagle 
for possession of his contemplated prey, that, after much rough 
treatment on both sides, the dwarf was left in the hands of his 
brave little friends, and the eagle took to flight. 

As soon as the little man had in some measure recovered 
from his alarm, his small squeaky, cracked voice was heard say- 
ing, “Couldn’t you have held me more gently? See my little 
coat; you have rent and damaged it in a fine manner, you 
clumsy, officious things!” Then he picked up a sack of jewels, 
and slipped out of sight behind a piece of rock. 

The maidens by this time were quite used to his ungrateful, 
ungracious ways ; so they took no notice of it, but went on their 
way, made their purchases, and then were ready to return to 
their happy home. 

On their way back, suddenly, once more they ran across 
.156 


SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED 

their dwarf friend. Upon a 
clear space he had turned out 
his sack of jewels, so that he 
could count and admire them, 
for he had not imagined that 
anybody would at so late an 
hour be coming across the 
common. 

The setting sun was shin- 
ing upon the brilliant stones, 
and their changing hues and 
sparkling rays caused the chil- 
dren to pause to admire them 
also. 

“What are you gazing 
at?” cried the dwarf, at the 
same time becoming red with 
rage; “and what are you stand- 
ing there for, making ugly 
faces?” It is probable that he might have proceeded in the same 
complimentary manner, but suddenly a great growl was heard 
near by them, and a big black bear joined the party. Up 
jumped the dwarf in extremest terror, but could not get to his 
hiding-place, the bear was too close to him; so he cried out 
in very evident anguish — 

“Dear Mr. Bear, forgive me, I pray! I will render to you 
all my treasure. Just see those precious stones lying there! 
Grant me my life! What would you do with such an insig- 
nificant little fellow? You would not notice me between your 
teeth. See, though, those two children, they would be delicate 
morsels, and are as plump as partridges; I beg of you to take 
them, good Mr. Bear, and let me go!” 

157 



GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


But 'the bear would not be moved by his speeches. He 
gave the ill-disposed creature a blow with his paw, and he lay 
lifeless on the ground. 

Meanwhile the maidens were running away, making off for 
home as well as they could; but all of a sudden they were 
stopped by a well-known voice that called out, “Snow-White, 
Rose-Red, stay! Do not fear. I will accompany you.” 

The bear quickly came towards them, but, as he reached 
their side, suddenly the bear-skin slipped to the ground, and 
there before them was standing a handsome man, completely 
garmented in gold, who said — 

“I am a king’s son, who was enchanted by the wicked dwarf 
lying over there. He stole my treasure, and compelled me 
to roam the woods transformed into a big bear until his death 
should set me free. Therefore he has only received a well- 
deserved punishment.” 

Some time afterwards Snow-White married the Prince, and 
Rose-Red his brother. 

They shared between them the enormous treasure which the 
dwarf had collected in his cave. 

The old mother spent many happy years with her children. 



158 


THE THREE LITTLE MEN IN THE WOOD 


O NCE upon a time there lived a man, whose wife had 
died; and a woman, also, who had lost her husband: 
and this man and this woman had each a daughter. 
These two maidens were friendly with each other, and used 
to walk together, and one day they came by the widow’s house. 
Then the widow said to -the man’s daughter, ‘‘Do you hear, 
tell your father I wish to marry him, and you shall every morn- 
ing wash in milk and drink wine, but my daughter shall wash 
in water and drink water.” So the girl went home and told 
her father what the woman had said, and he replied, “What 
shall I do? Marriage is a comfort, but it is also a torment.” 
At last, as he could come to no conclusion, he drew off his 
boot and said: “Take this boot, which has a hole in the sole, 
and go with it out of doors and hang it on the great nail and 
then pour water into it. If it holds the water, I will again 
take a wife; but if it- runs through, I will not have her.” The 
girl did as he bid her, but the water drew the hole together and 
the boot became full to overflowing. So she told her father 
how it had happened, and he, getting up, saw it was quite true; 
and going to the widow he settled the matter, and the wedding 
was celebrated. 

The next morning, when the two girls arose, milk to wash 
in and wine to drink were set for the man’s daughter, but 
only water, both for washing and drinking, for the woman’s 
daughter. The second morning, water for washing and drink- 
ing stood before both the man’s daughter and the woman’s; and 
on the third morning, water to wash in and water to drink were 
set before the man’s daughter, and milk to wash in and wine 
to drink before the woman’s daughter, and so it continued. 

159 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


Soon the woman conceived a deadly hatred for her step- 
daughter, and knew not how to behave badly enough to her 
from day to day. She was envious, too, because her step- 
daughter was beautiful and lovely, and her own daughter was 
ugly and hateful. 

Once, in the winter-time, when the river was frozen as 
hard as a stone, and hill and valley 
were covered with snow, the woman 
made a cloak of paper, and called 
the maiden to her and said, “Put on 
this cloak, and go away into the 
wood to fetch me a little basketful 
of strawberries, for I have a wish 
for some.” 

“Mercy on us !” said the maiden, 
“in winter there are no straw- 
berries growing; the ground is 
frozen, and the snow, too, 
has covered everything. And 
why must I go in that paper 
cloak? It is so cold 
out of doors that it 
freezes one’s breath 






160 


THE THREE LITTLE MEN IN THE WOOD 

even, and if the wind does not blow off this cloak, the thorns 
will tear it from my body.” 

“Will you dare to contradict me?” said the step-mother. 
“Make haste off, and let me not see you again until you have 
found me a basket of strawberries.” Then she gave her a 
small piece of dry bread, saying, “On that you must subsist 
the whole day.” But she thought — out of doors she will be 
frozen and starved, so that my eyes will never see her again! 

So the girl did as she was told, and put on the paper cloak, 
and went away with the basket. Far and near there was noth- 
ing but snow, and not a green blade was to 
be seen. When she came to the forest she 
discovered a little cottage, out of which three 
little Dwarfs were peeping. The girl wished 
them good morning, and knocked gently at 
the door. They called her in, and entering 
the room, she sat down on a bench by the 
fire to warm herself, and eat her breakfast. 

The Dwarfs called out, “Give us 
some of it!” “Willingly,” she re- 
plied, and, dividing her bread in two, 
she gave them half. They asked, 

“What do you here in the forest, in 
the winter-time, in this thin cloak?” 

“Ah!” she answered, “I must, 
seek a basketful of straw- 
berries, and I dare not re- 
turn home until I 
can take them with 
me.” When she had 
eaten her bread, 
they gave her a 



GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


broom, saying, “Sweep away the snow with this from the back 
door.” But when she was gone out of doors the three Dwarfs said 
one to another, “What shall we give her, because she is so gentle 
and good, and has shared her bread with us?” Then said the 
first, “I grant to her that she shall become more beautiful every 
day.” The second said, “I grant that a piece of gold shall fall 
out of her mouth for every word she speaks.” The third said, 
“I grant that a King shall come and make her his bride.” 

Meanwhile, the girl had done as the Dwarf had bidden her, 
and had swept away the snow from behind the house. And 
what do you think she found there? Actually, ripe strawberries! 
which came quite red and sweet up under the snow. So filling 
her basket in great glee, she thanked the little men and gave 
them each her hand, and then ran home to take her step-mother 
what she wished for. As she went in and said “Good evening,” 
a piece of gold fell from her mouth. Thereupon she related 
what had happened to her in the forest; but at every word she 
spoke a piece of gold fell, so that the whole floor was covered. 

“Just see her arrogance,” said the step-sister, “to throw away 
money in that way!” but in her heart she was jealous, and 
wished to go into the forest, too, to seek strawberries. Her 
mother said, “No, my dear daughter; it is too cold, you will be 
frozen!” but as her girl let her have no peace, she at last con- 
sented, and made her a beautiful fur cloak to put on; she also 
gave her buttered bread and cooked meat to eat on her way. 

The girl went into the forest and came straight to the little 
cottage. The three Dwarfs were peeping out again, but she 
did not greet them; and, stumbling on without looking at them, 
or speaking, she entered the room, and, seating herself by the 
fire, began to eat the bread and butter and meat. “Give us 
some of that,” exclaimed the Dwarfs ; but she answered, “I have 
not got enough for myself, so how can I give any away?” 

162 


THE THREE LITTLE MEN IN THE WOOD 

When she had finished they said, “You have a broom there, go 
and sweep the back door clean.” “Oh, sweep it yourself,” she 
replied; “I am not your servant.” When she saw that they 
would not give her anything she went out at the door, and the 
three Dwarfs said to each other, “What shall we give her? She 
is so ill-behaved, and has such a bad and envious disposition, 
that nobody can wish well to her.” The first said, “I grant 
that she becomes more ugly every day.” The second said, “I 
grant that at every word she speaks a toad shall spring out of 
her mouth.” The third said, “I grant that she shall die a mis- 
erable death.” Meanwhile the girl had been looking for straw- 
berries out of doors, but as she could find none she went home 
very peevish. When she opened her mouth to tell her mother 
what had happened to her in the forest, a toad jumped out of 
her mouth at each word, so that every one fled away from her 
in horror. 

The step-mother was now still more vexed, and was always 
thinking how she could do the most harm to her husband’s 
daughter, who every day became more beautiful. At last she 
took a kettle, set it on the fire, and boiled a net therein. When 
it was sodden she hung it on the shoulder of the poor girl, and 
gave her an axe, that' she might go upon the frozen pond and 
cut a hole in the ice to drag the net. She obeyed, and went 
away and cut an ice-hole ; and while she was cutting, an elegant 
carriage came by, in which the King sat. The carriage stopped, 
and the King asked, “My child, who are you? and what do 
you here?” “I am a poor girl, and am dragging a net,” said 
she. Then the King pitied her, and saw how beautiful she 
was, and said, “Will you go with me?” “Yes, indeed, with all 
my heart,” she replied, for she was glad to get out of the sight 
of her mother and sister. 

So she was handed into the carriage, and driven away with 
163 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

the King ; and as soon as they arrived at his castle the wedding 
was celebrated with great splendor, as the Dwarfs had granted 
to the maiden. After a year the young Queen bore a son; and 
when the step-mother heard of her great good fortune, she came 
to the castle with her daughter, and behaved as if she had come 
on a visit. But one day when the King had gone out, and no 
one was present, this bad woman seized the Queen by the 
head, and her daughter caught hold of her feet, and raising 
her out of bed, they threw her out of the window into the river 
which ran past. Then, laying her ugly daughter in the bed, the 
old woman covered her up, even over her head; and when the 
King came back he wished to speak to his wife, but the old 
woman exclaimed, “Softly! softly! do not go near her; she is 
lying in a beautiful sleep, and must be kept quiet to-day.” The 
King, not thinking of an evil design, came again the next 
morning the first thing ; and when he spoke to his wife, and she 
answered, a toad sprang out of her mouth at every word, as a 
piece of gold had done before. So he asked what had hap- 
pened, and the old woman said, “That is produced by her weak- 
ness, she will soon lose it again.” 

But in the night the kitchen-boy saw a Duck swimming 
through the brook, and the Duck asked: 

“King, King, what are you doing? 

Are you sleeping, or are you waking?’* 

And as he gave no answer, the Duck said: 

“What are my guests a-doing?” 

Then the boy answered: 


They all sleep sound . 1 
164 


[THE THREE LITTLE MEN IN THE WOOD. 
And she asked him: 

“How fares my child?” 

And he replied: 

“In his cradle he sleeps” 

Then she came up in the form of the Queen to the cradle, 
and gave the child drink, shook up his bed, and covered him 
up, and then swam away again as a duck through the brook. 
The second night she came again; and on the third she said to 
the kitchen-boy, “Go and tell the King to take his sword, and 
swing it thrice over me, on the threshold.” Then the boy ran 
and told the King, who came with his sword, and swung it 
thrice over the Duck; and at the third time his bride stood 
before him, bright, living, and healthful, as she had been before. 

Now the King was in great happiness, but he hid the Queen 
in a chamber until the Sunday when the child was to be christ- 
ened; and when all was finished he asked, “What ought to be 
done to one who takes another out of a bed and throws her 
into the river?” “Nothing could be more proper,” said the old 
woman, “than to put such a one into a cask, stuck round with 
nails, and to roll it down the hill into the water.” Then the 
King said, “You have spoken your own sentence”; and order- 
ing a cask to be fetched, he caused the old woman and her 
daughter to be put into it, and the bottom nailed up. Then 
the cask was rolled down the hill until it fell into the water. 


165 


RUMPELSTILTSKIN 



iHERE was once a poor Miller who had a beautiful 


daughter, and one day, having to go to speak with the 


A King, he said, in order to make himself appear of conse- 
quence, that he had a daughter who could spin straw into gold. 
The King was very fond of gold, and thought to himself, “That 
is an art which would please me very well”; and so he said to 
the Miller, “If your daughter is so very clever, bring her to the 
castle in the morning, and I will put her to the proof.” 

As soon as she arrived the King led her into a chamber 
which was full of straw; and, giving her a wheel and a reel, he 
said, “Now set yourself to work, and if you have not spun this 
straw into gold by an early hour to-morrow, you must die.” 
With these words he shut the room door, and left the maiden 
alone. 

There she sat for a long time, thinking how to save her 
life; for she understood nothing of the art whereby straw might 
be spun into gold; and her perplexity increased more and more, 
till at last she began to weep. All at once the door opened, 
and in stepped a little Mart, who said, “Good evening, fair 
maiden; why do you weep so sore?” “Ah,” she replied, “I 
must spin this straw into gold, and I am sure I do not know 


how.” 


The little Man asked, “What will you give me if I spin 
it for you?” 

“My necklace,” said the maiden. 

The Dwarf took it, placed himself in front of the wheel, 
and whirr, whirr, whirr, three times round, and the bobbin was 
full. Then he set up another, and whir, whir, whir, thrice round 
again, and a second bobbin was full; and so he went all night 


166 


RUMPELSTILTSKIN 

long, until all the straw was spun, and the bobbins were full of 
gold. At sunrise the King came, very much astonished to see 
the gold; the sight of which gladdened him, but did not make 
his heart less covetous. He caused the maiden to be led into 
another room, still larger, full of straw; and then he bade her 
spin it into gold during the night if she valued her life. The 
maiden was again quite at a loss what to do ; but while she cried 
the door opened suddenly, as before, and the Dwarf appeared 
and asked her what she would give him in return for his assist- 
ance. “The ring off my finger,” she replied. The little Man 
took the ring and began to spin at once, and by morning all 
the straw was changed to glistening gold. The King was 
rejoiced above measure at the sight of this, but still he was not 
satisfied, but, leading the maiden into another still larger room, 
full of straw as the others, he said, 

“This you must spin during the 
night ; but if you accomplish it you 
shall be my bride.” “For,” thought 
he to himself, “a richer wife thou 
canst not have in all the world.” 

When the maiden was left 
alone, the Dwarf again appeared 
and asked, for the third time, 

“What will you give me to do this 
for you?” 

“I have nothing left that I can 
give you,” replied the maiden. 

“Then promise me your first- 
born child if you become Queen,” 
said he. 

The Miller’s daughter thought, 

“Who can tell if that will ever 

167 



GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

happen?” and, ignorant how else to help herself out of her 
trouble, she promised the Dwarf what he desired ; and he imme- 
diately set about and finished the spinning. When morning 
came, and the King found all he had wished for done, he 
celebrated his wedding, and the Miller’s fair daughter became 
Queen. 

The gay times she had at the King’s Court caused her to 
forget that she had made a very foolish promise. 

About a year after the marriage, when she had ceased to 
think about the little Dwarf, she brought a fine child into the 
world ; and, suddenly, soon after its birth, the very man appeared 
and demanded what she had promised. The frightened Queen 
offered him all the riches of the kingdom if he would leave her 
her child; but the Dwarf answered, “No; something human is 
dearer to me than all the wealth of the world.” 

The Queen began to weep and groan so much that the 
Dwarf pitied her, and said, “I will leave you three days to 
consider; if you in that time discover my name you shall keep 
your child.” 

All night long the Queen racked her brains for all the 
names she could think of, and sent a messenger through the 
country to collect far and wide any new names. The follow- 
ing morning came the Dwarf, and she began with “Caspar,” 
“Melchior,” “Balthassar,” and all the odd names she knew; but 
at each the little Man exclaimed, “That is not my name.” The 
second day the Queen inquired of all her people for uncom- 
mon and curious names, and called the Dwarf “Ribs-of-Beef,” 
“Sheep-shank,” “Whalebone,” but at each he said, “This is not 
my name.” The third day the messenger came back and said, 
“I have not found a single name; but as I came to a high moun- 
tain near the edge of a forest, where foxes and hares say good 
night to each other, I saw there a little house, and before the 

168 


RUMPELSTILTSKIN 

door a fire was burning, and round this fire a very curious little 
Man was dancing on one leg, and shouting: 

“ ‘ To-day 1 stew, and then I’ll bake, 

To-morrow I shall the Queen’s child take; 

Ah! how famous it is that nobody knows 
That my name is Rumpelstiltskin.’ ” 

When the Queen heard this she was very glad, for now she 
knew the name; and soon after came the Dwarf, and asked, 
“Now, my lady Queen, what is my name?” 

First she said, “Are you called Conrade?” “No.” 

“Are you called Hal?” “No.” 

“Are you called Rumpelstiltskin?” 

“A witch has told you! a witch has told you!” shrieked 
the little Man, and stamped his right foot so hard in the ground 
with rage that he could not draw it out again. Then he took 
hold of his left leg with both his hands, and pulled away so hard 
that his right came off in the struggle, and he hopped away 
howling terribly. And from that day to this the Queen has heard 
no more of her troublesome visitor. 



169 


LITTLE ONE-EYE, TWO EYES AND 
THREE-EYES 


O NCE upon a time there was a Woman, who had three 
daughters, the eldest of whom was named One-Eye, 
because she had but a single eye, and that placed in 
the middle of her forehead; the second was called Two-Eyes, 
because she was like other mortals; and the third, Three-Eyes, 
because she had three eyes, and one of them in the centre of 
her forehead, like her eldest sister. But, because her second 
sister had nothing out of the common in her appearance, she 
was looked down upon by her sisters, and despised by her 
mother. “You are no better than common folk,” they would 
say to her; “you do not belong to us”; and then they would 
push her about, give her coarse clothing, and nothing to eat 
but their leavings, besides numerous other insults as occasion 
offered. 

Once it happened that Two-Eyes had to go into the forest 
to tend the goat; and she went very hungry, because her sisters 
had given her very little to eat that morning. She sat down 
upon a hillock, and cried so much that her tears flowed almost 
like rivers out of her eyes! By and by she looked up and saw 
a Woman standing by, who asked, “Why are you weeping, 
Two-Eyes?” “Because I have two eyes like ordinary people,” 
replied the maiden, “and therefore my mother and sisters dis- 
like me, push me into corners, throw me their old clothes, and 
give me nothing to eat but what they leave. To-day they have 
given me so little that I am still hungry.” “Dry your eyes, 
then, now,” said the wise Woman; “I will tell you something 
which shall prevent you from being hungry again. You must 
say to your goat: 

‘Little kid, milk 
Table, appear !’ 

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LITTLE ONE EYE, TWO-EYES AND THREE-EYES 

and immediately a nicely filled table will stand before you, with 
delicate food upon it, of which you can eat as much as you 
please. And when you are satisfied, and have done with the 
table, you must say: 


' Little kid, milk 
Table , depart!’ 

and it will disappear direct- 
ly.” With these words the 
wise Woman went away, and 
little Two-Eyes thought to 



herself she would try 
at once if what the 
Woman said were 
true, for she felt very 
hungry indeed. 

“Little kid, milk 
Table, appear !” 


said the maiden, and immediately a table covered with a white 
cloth stood before her, with a knife and fork, and silver spoon; 
and the most delicate dishes were ranged in order upon it, and 
everything as warm as if they had been just taken away from 
the fire. Two-Eyes said a short grace, and then began to eat; 

171 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


and when she had finished she pronounced the words which the 
wise Woman had told her: 

“Little kid, milk 
Table, depart!” 

and directly the table and all that was on it quickly disap- 
peared. “This is capital housekeeping,” said the maiden, in 
high glee; and at evening she went home with her goat, and 
found an earthen dish which her sisters had left her filled with 
their leavings. She did not touch it; and the next morning 
she went off again without taking the meagre breakfast which 
was left out for her. The first and second time she did this 
the sisters thought nothing of it; but when she did the same the 
third morning their attention was roused, and they said, “All is 
not right with Two-Eyes, for she has left her meals twice, and 
has touched nothing of what was left for her; she must have 
found some other way of living.” So they determined that 
One-Eye should go with the maiden when she drove the goat 
to the meadow and pay attention to what passed, and observe 
whether any one brought her to eat or to drink. 

When Two-Eyes, therefore, was about to set off, One-Eye 
told her she was going with her to see whether she took proper 
care of the goat and fed her sufficiently. Two-Eyes, however, 
divined her sister’s object, and drove the goat where the grass 
was finest, and then said, “Come, One-Eye, let us sit down, 
and I will sing to you.” So One-Eye sat down, for she was 
quite tired with her unusual walk and the heat of the sun. 

“ Are you awake or asleep, One-Eye? 

Are you awake or asleep?” 

sang Two-Eyes, until her sister really went to sleep. As soon 

172 


LITTLE ONE EYE, TWO-EYES AND THREE-EYES 

as she was quite sound, the maiden had her table out, and ate 
and drank all she needed; and by the time One-Eye woke 
again the table had disappeared, and the maiden said to her sister, 
“Come, we will go home now ; while you have been sleeping the 
goat might have run about all over the world.” So they went 
home, and after Two-Eyes had left her meal untouched, the 
mother inquired of One-Eye what she had seen, and she was 
obliged to confess that she had been asleep. 

The following morning the mother told Three-Eyes that 
she must go out and watch Two-Eyes, and see who brought her 
food, for it was certain that some one must. So Three-Eyes 
told her sister that she was going to accompany her that morn- 
ing to see if she took care of the goat and fed her well; but 
Two-Eyes saw through her design, and drove the goat again to 
the best feeding-place. Then she asked her sister to sit down 
and she would sing to her, and Three-Eyes did so, for she was 
very tired with her long walk in the heat of the sun. Then 
Two-Eyes began to sing as before: 

“Are you awake, Three-Eyes?” 

but, instead of continuing as she should have done, 

“Are you asleep, Three-Eyes?” 
she said by mistake, 

“Are you asleep, Two-Eyes?” 

and so went on singing: 

“Are you awake, Three-Eyes?” 

“Are you asleep, Two-Eyes?” 

By and by Three-Eyes closed two of her eyes, and went to sleep 

173 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

with them; but the third eye, which was not spoken to, kept 
open. Three-Eyes, however, cunningly shut it too, and feigned 
to be asleep, while she was really watching ; and soon Two-Eyes, 
thinking all safe, repeated the words: 

“Little kid, milk 
Table, appear!” 

and as soon as she was satisfied she said the old words: 

“Little kid, milk 
Table, depart!” 

Three-Eyes watched all these proceedings; and presently Two- 
Eyes came and awoke her, saying, “Ah, sister! you are a good 
watcher, but come, let us go home now.” When they reached 
home Two-Eyes again ate nothing; and her sister told her 
mother she knew now why the haughty hussy would not eat 
their victuals. “When she is out in the meadow,” said her sister, 
“she says: 

‘Little kid, milk 
Table, appear!’ 

and, directly, a table comes up laid out with meat and wine, and 
everything of the best, much better than we have; and as soon 
as she has had enough she says: 

‘ Little kid, milk 
Table, depart!’ 

and all goes away directly, as I clearly saw. Certainly she did 
put to sleep two of my eyes, but the one in the middle of my 
forehead luckily kept awake!” 

“Will you have better things than we?” cried the envious 

174 


LITTLE ONE EYE, TWO-EYES AND THREE-EYES 

mother; “then you shall lose the chance”; and so saying, she 
took a carving-knife and killed the goat dead. 

As soon as Two-Eyes saw this she went out, very sorrowful, 
to the old spot and sat down where she had sat before to weep 
bitterly. All at once the wise Woman stood in front of her 
again, and asked why she was crying. “Must I not cry,” replied 
she, “when the goat which used to furnish me every day with 
a dinner, according to your promise, has been killed by my 
mother, and I am again suffering hunger and thirst?” “Two- 
Eyes,” said the wise Woman, “I will give you a piece of advice. 
Beg your sisters to give you the entrails of the goat, and bury 
them in the earth before the house door, and your fortune will 
be made.” So saying, she disappeared, and Two-Eyes went 
home, and said to her sisters, “Dear sisters, do give me some 
part of the slain kid; I desire nothing else — let me have the 
entrails.” The sisters laughed and readily gave them to her; 
and she buried them secretly before the threshold of the door, 
as the wise Woman had bidden her. 

The following morning they found in front of the house a 
wonderfully beautiful tree, with leaves of silver and fruits of 
gold hanging from the boughs, than which nothing more splen- 
did could be seen in the world. The two elder sisters were 
quite ignorant how the tree came where it stood; but Two-Eyes 
perceived that it was produced by the goat’s entrails, for it stood 
on the exact spot where she had buried them. As soon as the 
mother saw it she told One-Eye to break off some of the fruit. 
One-Eye went up to the tree, and pulled a bough toward her, to 
pluck off the fruit; but the bough flew back again directly out 
of her hands; and so it did every time she took hold of it, till 
she was forced to give up, for she could not obtain a single 
golden apple in spite of all her endeavors. Then the mother 
said to Three-Eyes, “Do you climb up, for you can see bet- 

175 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 

ter with your three eyes than your sister with her one.” Three- 
Eyes, however, was not more fortunate than her sister, for the 
golden apples flew back as soon as she touched them. At last 
the mother got so impatient that she climbed the tree herself; 
but she met with no more success than either of her daugh- 
ters, and grasped the air only when she thought she had the 
fruit. Two-Eyes now thought she would try, and said to her 
sisters, “Let me get up, perhaps I may be successful.” “Oh, 
you are very likely indeed,” said they, “with your two eyes: 
you will see well, no doubt!” So Two-Eyes climbed the tree, 
and directly she touched the boughs the golden apples fell into 
her hands, so that she plucked them as fast as she could, and 
filled her apron before she went down. Her mother took them 
of her, but returned her no thanks; and the two sisters, instead 
of treating Two-Eyes better than they had done, were only the 
more envious of her, because she alone could gather the fruit 
— in fact, they treated her worse. 

One morning, not long after the springing up of the apple- 
tree, the three sisters were all standing together beneath it, when 
in the distance a young Knight was seen riding toward them. 
“Make haste, Two-Eyes!” exclaimed the two elder sisters; “make 
haste, and creep out of our way, that we may not be ashamed 
of you”; and so saying, they put over her in great haste an 
empty cask which stood near, and which covered the golden 
apples as well, which she had just been plucking. Soon the 
Knight came up to the tree, and the sisters saw he was a very 
handsome man, for he stopped to admire the fine silver leaves 
and golden fruit, and presently asked to whom the tree belonged, 
for he should like to have a branch off it. One-Eye and Three- 
Eyes replied that the tree belonged to them; and they tried to 
pluck a branch off for the Knight. They had their trouble for 
nothing, however, for the boughs and fruit flew back as soon 

176 


LITTLE ONE EYE, TWO-EYES AND THREE-EYES 

as they touched them. “This is very wonderful,” cried the 
Knight, “that this tree should belong to you, and yet you can- 
not pluck the fruit I” The sisters, however, maintained that it 
was theirs; but while they spoke Two-Eyes rolled a golden 
apple from underneath the cask, so that it travelled to the feet 
of the Knight, for she was angry, because her sisters had not 
spoken the truth. When he saw the apple he was astonished, 
and asked where it came from; and One-Eye and Three-Eyes 
said they had another sister, but they dared not let her be seen, 
because she had only two eyes, like common folk ! The Knight, 
however, would see her, and called, “Two-Eyes, come here!” 
and soon she made her appearance from under the cask. The 
Knight was bewildered at her great beauty, and said, “You, 
Two-Eyes, can surely break off a bough of this tree for me?” 
“Yes,” she replied, “that I will, for it is my property”; and 
climbing up, she easily broke off a branch with silver leaves and 
golden fruit, which she handed to the Knight. “What can I 
give you in return, Two-Eyes?” asked the Knight. “Alas! if 
you will take me with you I shall be happy, for now I suffer 
hunger and thirst, and am in trouble and grief from early morn- 
ing to late evening; take me, and save me!” Thereupon the 
Knight raised Two-Eyes upon his saddle, and took her home 
to his father’s castle. There he gave her beautiful clothes, and 
all she wished for to eat or to drink; and afterward, because 
his love for her had become so great, he married her, and a 
very happy wedding they had. 

Her two sisters, meanwhile, were very jealous when Two- 
Eyes was carried off by the Knight; but they consoled them- 
selves by saying, “The wonderful tree remains still for us; and 
even if we cannot get at the fruit, everybody that passes will stop 
to look at it, and then come and praise it to us. Who knows 
where our wheat may bloom?” The morning after this speech, 

177 


GRIMM’S FAIRY STORIES 


however, the tree disappeared, and with it all their hopes; but 
when Two-Eyes that same day looked out of her chamber win- 
dow, behold, the tree stood before it, and there remained! 

For a long time after this occurrence Two-Eyes lived in 
the enjoyment of the greatest happiness; and one morning two 
poor women came to the palace and begged an alms. Two- 
Eyes, after looking narrowly at their faces, recognized her two 
sisters, One-Eye and Three-Eyes, who had come to such great 
poverty that they were forced to wander about, begging their 
bread from day to day. Two-Eyes, however, bade them wel- 
come, invited them in, and took care of them, till they both 
repented of their evil which they had done to their sister in the 
days of their childhood. 



THE END 


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